RI School Nurses Now Required to Take Concussion Training

A state law that requires school coaches and volunteers to take concussion training recently expanded to include school nurses.

State Rep. Raymond E. Gallison, Jr. and State Sen. Walter S. Felag, Jr. sponsored the legislation.

"Our goal is to help identify concussions whenever they occur, and since kids spend so much of their time in school, there’s an excellent chance the school nurse will be the person faced with determining whether a student is suffering a concussion," Gallison said in a statement.

Felag said his son suffered two concussion playing high school football.

"Kids, especially student-athletes, are often reluctant to admit they’re suffering an injury because they know it could keep them off the field," Felag said in a statement. "For that reason, even those who feel the effects of a concussion might try to avoid getting treatment until the problems become overwhelming. We want to make sure school nurses, as well as coaches and other adults, are kept up-to-date on the latest information about concussions so they are always as equipped as possible to recognize when kids are suffering concussions."

The revised law also encourages teachers and teachers' aides to take concussion training, but it is not a requirement.

Read the new concussion law