Combining automated vision screening with on-site examinations in 23 schools: ReFocus on Children Program 2012 to 2013

PURPOSE

The Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (ABVI) began the ReFocus on Children Program to assist school nurses in providing vision screening for at-risk children in the Charleston County School District in South Carolina.

METHODS

In 2012 to 2013, 2,750 low-income school children ages 3 to 5 years were screened using the Plusoptix Vision screener (Atlanta, GA). Further examinations were performed on 419 (56%) children referred and glasses prescribed and provided for 192 children (positive predictive value 46%). In 2013, teacher feedback questionnaires were sent to the 23 schools.

RESULTS

Teacher feedback questionnaires had a 49% response rate. Of teachers responding to the questionnaire, 70% reported the children liked wearing their glasses. Teachers provided observations of positive impact, including improved academic performance.

CONCLUSIONS

Nurses appreciated that the entire process was efficient and completed in school, simplifying care and follow-up. The authors encourage partnerships between schools, nonprofit agencies, and healthcare providers to improve screening and access to comprehensive vision care for young children.

Mental health of students: position statement

It is the position of the National Association of School Nurses that mental health is as critical to academic success as physical well-being. Registered professional school nurses (hereinafter referred to as school nurses) serve a vital role in the school community by promoting positive mental health outcomes in students through school/community evidence-based programs and curricula. As members of interdisciplinary teams, school nurses collaborate with school personnel, community health care professionals, students, and families, in the assessment, identification, intervention, referral, and follow-up of children in need of mental health services. School nurses are uniquely qualified to identify students with potential mental health problems. In addition, school nurses serve as advocates, facilitators, and counselors of mental health services both within the school environment and in the community.

Demonstrating outcomes in a nurseled clinic: How primary health care nurses make a difference to children and their families

The provision of primary health care to children and families is complex. The study outlined here explored outcomes from the provision of primary health care to children aged 5-13 years in a nurse-led clinic based in a primary school in Auckland, New Zealand. This multi-faceted study collected both qualitative and quantitative data, however it is the results of the quantitative arm of the study that are presented here. Data were collected from a variety of sources concerning conditions seen, age and ethnicity of users, types of services provided and impact on hospital usage. Findings demonstrate that the provision of comprehensive primary health care by the nurse at the clinic impacts positively on hospital visitation by children from the area where the clinic is located.

Development of the school entrant health questionnaire for assessing primary school children aged 5–7

This article describes the development and pilot testing of the School Entrant Health Questionnaire (SEHQ) for the School Nursing Program in Victoria, Australia to provide a health profile of primary school children. Items likely to discriminate between healthy children and children having health concerns were generated. Domains included were: general health, medications, immunizations, dental health, speech/language, hearing, vision, disabilities, general development, behavior and emotional wellbeing, and family stress. Testing to determine reliability, validity and discriminability was conducted in four phases. The SEHQ was found to have sound reliability and good discriminability between students who had problems and those who did not. Analysis of the SEHQ data leads directly to clinical nursing actions for children identfied as having problems in any of the 11 domains. SEHQ is used to reach almost an Australian state population of 5-7year olds annually, generating a significant data base on this age group.

CAMHS has 'serious and deeply ingrained problems'

Funding to boost the number of school nurses trained to recognise and identify early signs of mental illness in children is needed urgently, MPs have said.

The student health collaboration: an innovative approach to enhancing communication and improving student health

Students, families, school staff and school nurses all benefit from successful community partnerships. School nurses requested improved communication with local clinicians and access to the health information of their students. School nurses were not routinely recognized as part of the care team and therefore were not able to access protected health information found in the medical record, which would improve health outcomes for their students. With a goal of improving student health outcomes, a local pediatric health care delivery system partnered with school nurses to share student health information. School nurses were included as part of the health care team, with access to electronic health records. This is an innovative coordinated care team approach with parents, nurses, and community clinicians able to communicate, plan, intervene, and evaluate student health.

NASN connecting with nurses every day

NASN, with a newly adopted strategic plan, is energized, committed, and positioned to be the connecting point for all things concerning school health. The July issue of the NASN School Nurse is utilized to provide an update to our membership on the health of our organization and the past year's major initiatives. The 2014-201 7 strategic plan has five areas of emphasis: membership, advocacy, financial stability, research, and governance. The purpose of this article is to discuss NASN's member resources and connections and how they can be utilized to strengthen and mold school nursing practice.

National standardized data set for school health-services: step up and be counted!

The National Association of School Nurses and National Association of State School Nurse Consultants Joint Work Group agreed on identified common data points and an initial process for nationwide data collection by school nurses. The emerging process was presented at both the 2014 National Association of School Nurses and the National Association of State School Nurse Consultants annual meetings in San Antonio. The time is now to begin the process for ALL school nurses to collect data to begin building a national school nursing data set. This article is the second of a series and outlines the how, why, and when for collecting identified data indicators. It provides the talking points and collection tool necessary to Step Up and Be Counted!

The expanding role of school nurses: an ozone awareness flag program

Children with asthma are at risk of experiencing the effects of ozone on the respiratory system at a lower concentration than normal or with a greater morbidity. The North Texas Asthma Consortium partnered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Asthma Coalition of Texas to implement an ozone awareness program in schools in North Texas. The goal of the ozone awareness program was to introduce and support a process for schools to raise ozone awareness in the school and community. Schools participating in the program fly a green, yellow, orange, or redflag each day alerting students, school staff parents, and community members about the ozone. Activities for an active indoor curriculum on high ozone days, education about asthma and the effect of ozone, tools for implementing the program, and flags were provided. The program has been presented to almost 250 schools with 85 schools participating.

School-sponsored before, after, and extended school year programs--the role of the school nurse: position statement

It is the position of the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) that the registered professional school nurse (hereinafter referred to as school nurse) has the educational and clinical background to coordinate the necessary school health services to provide students with the same health, nutrition, and safety needs while attending school-sponsored before, after, and extended school year programs as the students receive during the traditional school day/year. In 2010, the White House Task Force on Obesity called for an increase in access to safe supervised physical activities beyond the school day (White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity Report to the President, 2010), and as these programs have expanded, the necessity for providing quality, effective health care services during these hours has developed. As the expert in school health services delivery models of health care, the school nurse is an essential facilitator for student access to these programs. The school nurse plays a vital role in preparing the school-sponsored before and after school and extended school year program personnel with the necessary resources to respond to a health emergency.

School nurse facilitated programs for families living fit

School nurses are in a unique position to facilitate provision of knowledge to children and their parents regarding balanced, healthy lifestyles. Nurses can become empowered with the knowledge gained from reviewing obesity programs with demonstrated improvements in obesity-related outcomes such as Kids Living Fit (KLF) and Nurses Living Fit (NLF). Garnering resources from your school and community, school nurses can create programs using methods from KLF and NLF to facilitate Families Living Fit (FLF). With the provision of programs, ideally children and parents will also feel empowered through knowledge gained as a result of their participation in FLF programs focusing on healthy lifestyles, incorporating the balance between activities chosen/exercise and foods consumed/nutrition.