Stakeholder Perspectives on Optimizing Communication in a School-Centered Asthma Program

Addressing critical barriers for sustainability of asthma stock inhaler policy implementation and resultant programming

BACKGROUND

Asthma is a prevalent health concern among Illinois (IL) children, and management is significantly influenced by social determinants. There were 17 states who have adopted stock inhaler laws, but implementation varies widely.

OBJECTIVE

To assess critical barriers to implementation and address sustainability of stock inhaler programming in school-based asthma care in IL.

METHODS

Semistructured interviews were conducted with high asthma burden school districts in IL to assess barriers in implementing stock inhaler policies and resultant programming. Thematic analysis was performed using Atlas.ti (Scientific Software Development GmbH, Berlin, Germany) to identify and code "threats" to future sustainability. Data were synthesized and presented to stakeholders for barrier mitigation. A schematic flowchart outlining steps to support sustainability was created.

RESULTS

A total of 18 interviews were conducted with key community partners across 8 IL school districts, representing rural, urban, and suburban areas. Analysis revealed 25 barriers, with several identified as "threats" to future sustainability, including liability concerns, follow-up care assurance, funding/resources, pharmacy dispensing practices, district-level readiness to change, and nurse staffing. Stakeholders formed a statewide coalition to address these barriers, increase awareness, plan evaluations, and advise on state funding allocation. A national stock inhaler toolkit tailored to school administrative needs was developed to support sustainability efforts.

CONCLUSION

Strategic stakeholder and community engagement are vital for establishing and sustaining stock inhaler programs that adhere to policy mandates. Many districts face challenges initiating and maintaining such programs without critical barrier mitigation and support. Collaborative solutions are necessary to ensure effective school-based asthma management and mitigate persistent pediatric asthma health disparities.

Notes From the Field: Diverse Partner Perspectives Improve the Usability and Equity Focus of Implementation Guides

Context

School-based asthma programs (SBAPs) have improved health and educational disparities among youth with asthma.

Design

To support scaling out effective SBAPs, our school partners identified a need for online implementation guides that are "always available," to meet the needs of school nurses' demanding schedules. School nurses play a key role in the adoption and implementation of SBAPs, so it is important to ensure the implementation guide would be highly usable and acceptable to them.

Objective

Accordingly, our research team collaborated with human-centered design experts to identify the "user journeys" of school nurses and co-created our online implementation guide as a public-facing website with input from local and national school nurse partners.

Main Results

In this perspectives article, our school nurse implementation partners and human-centered design experts reflect on challenges overcome in this process of developing a tailored implementation guide to school nurses and offer lessons from the field to others seeking to co-create implementation guides with community partners.

School Nurse Perspectives on Collaboration With Primary Care Providers

BACKGROUND

School nurses are rarely integrated into primary care teams to their full potential. We aimed to characterize school nurses' perceptions related to current and optimal collaboration with primary care providers (PCPs) and identify actionable solutions to improve efficiency, quality, and coordination of pediatric care.

METHODS

We conducted and qualitatively analyzed interviews with school nurses to characterize structures, processes, and perceived benefits of optimized school nurse-PCP collaboration.

RESULTS

School nurse interviewees (n = 23) identified factors important to school nurse-PCP collaboration within 2 domains: information sharing and relationship building. Information sharing themes included health information sharing laws, data sharing systems, and technology-based communication systems. Relationship building themes included health care sector understanding of the school nurse role, PCP knowledge of school health requirements, shared professional development opportunities, and time and personnel. Perceived benefits of optimized PCP-school nurse collaboration were identified for children, PCPs, school nurses, and parents.

IMPLICATIONS FOR SCHOOL HEALTH POLICY, PRACTICE, AND EQUITY

Needs assessments and action plans guided by the domains of information sharing and relationship building can inform local improvements to optimize school nurse-PCP collaboration.

CONCLUSIONS

School nurses highlighted cross-sector solutions to enhance school nurse-PCP collaboration including integrated information sharing systems and intentional relationship building.

Systems of communication in school-nurse led care coordination: A concept analysis

AIM

To analyze the concept of systems of communication in school nurse-led care coordination to develop an operational definition that will inform intervention development.

BACKGROUND

Communication has been identified as an essential attribute in care coordination. However, previous concept analyses of care coordination did not clearly define systems of communication or consider the context of school-based care coordination. Defining and conceptualizing systems of communication has important implications for improving school nurse-led care coordination.

METHODS

Concept analysis was conducted using Walker and Avant's eight-step concept analysis method. The literature was searched to identify supporting literature that was analyzed using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses checklist.

RESULTS

Systems of communication in school nurse-led care coordination can be defined as systems wherein care team members, led by the school nurse, collaborate by communicating information and knowledge through an individualized healthcare plan that is student/family-centered and shared through information systems. Attributes require developing an individual health plan that incorporates care coordination needs, information sharing with student/family consent, and a clear delineation of team member roles. Consequences include student/family outcomes, team member knowledge, and efficiency and accuracy of information.

CONCLUSIONS

Concept clarification and a synthesized definition allow for more effective measurement development for effective communication in school nurse-led care coordination. Students with healthcare needs in the school environment require systems of communication that efficiently work toward school nurse-led care coordination that addresses the student's health and academic outcomes.

Applying dissemination and implementation research methods to translate a school-based asthma program

Our school-based asthma program has reduced asthma exacerbations for youth with health disparities in the Denver metropolitan area, due partly to addressing social determinants of health, such as access to health care and medications. Dissemination and implementation (D&I) science approaches accelerate the translation of evidence-based programs into routine practice. D&I methods are being applied more commonly to improve health equity. The purpose of this publication was to give an overview of D&I research methods, using our school-based asthma program as an example. To successfully scale out our program across the state of Colorado, we are applying a D&I framework that guides the adaptation of our existing implementation approach to better meet our stakeholders' local context-the Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, Sustainment framework. In a pragmatic trial design, we will evaluate the outcomes of implementing the program across 5 Colorado regions, with attention to health equity, using a second commonly used D&I framework-Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance. Our central hypothesis is that our program will have broad and equitable reach to eligible students (primary outcome) and will reduce asthma attacks and symptoms. This D&I approach accelerates dissemination of our program and is an applicable process for translating other effective allergy/asthma programs to address asthma and allergy-related disparities.

Facilitating Health Information Exchange to Improve Health Outcomes for School-Aged Children: School Nurse Electronic Health Record Access

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

School-aged children with chronic conditions require care coordination for health needs at school. Access to the student's accurate, real-time medical information is essential for school nurses to maximize their care of students. We aim to analyze school nurse access to medical records in a hospital-based electronic health record (EHR) and the effect on patient outcomes. We hypothesized that EHR access would decrease emergency department (ED) visits and inpatient hospitalizations.

METHODS

This retrospective secondary data analysis was conducted using EHR data 6 months pre- and post-school nurse access to students' hospital-based EHR. The main outcome measures were the ED visits and inpatient hospitalizations.

RESULTS

For the sample of 336 students in the study, there was a 34% decrease in ED visits from 190 visits before access to 126 ED visits after access (p <0.01). Inpatient hospitalizations decreased by 44% from 176 before access to 99 after access (p <0.001). The incident rate of ED visits decreased (IRR: 0.66; 95% CI: 0.53-0.83; p = 0.00035), and hospitalizations decreased (IRR: 0.56; 95% CI: 0.44-0.72; p <0.0001) from pre to post access. These findings suggest school nurse access to medical records is a positive factor in improving school-aged patient outcomes.

CONCLUSION

School nurse access to medical records through the hospital-based EHR may be a factor to improve patient outcomes by utilizing health information technology for more efficient and effective communication and care coordination for school-aged children with chronic medical conditions.

Communication Between Schools Nurses and Health Care Providers on Students with Asthma: An Integrative Review

School-based asthma programs have been proven to lessen the burden of pediatric asthma. There is a lack of successful care coordination between school nurses and primary care providers. This review examined strategies to increase communication and identified gaps in the literature. Databases, including PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Embase, and The Cochrane Library, were searched to identify relevant articles. This review included 12 articles consisting of randomized controlled trials, quasi-experimental studies, mixed method studies, qualitative studies, and other non-research articles. Four key findings emerged, including limited availability of asthma action plans, inclusion of parents in the communication triad, school nurse outreach to providers, and improved communication leads to positive outcomes for students with asthma including decreased use of emergency medication and increased self-management of asthma. Further research is needed to develop evidence-based interventions that can be implemented to improve communication between school nurses and primary care providers.

Barriers to and Facilitators of School Health Care for Students with Chronic Disease as Perceived by Their Parents: A Mixed Systematic Review

Understanding parental perspectives through mixed systematic reviews is imperative for developing effective school health care for children and adolescents with chronic disease. A mixed systematic review was conducted to explore barriers to and facilitators of school health care for students with chronic disease as perceived by their parents. Four databases (2010-2020) were searched, following which critical appraisals were conducted to determine the validity of the selected studies using the Mixed Method Appraisal Tool, version 2018. Twenty articles were synthesized using the convergent integrated approach from the Joanna Briggs Institute's mixed method systematic review methodology. We examined 20 articles regarding parents' perceived barriers and facilitators and found views across four levels: intrapersonal, interpersonal, institutional, and public and policy. Parents perceived more barriers than facilitators. Barriers on the institutional level were the most frequently reported of all levels of barriers. These results suggest that multi-level school health interventions could be a valuable resource to facilitate effective school guidelines and public policies for students with chronic diseases.

School nurses' perceptions regarding barriers and facilitators in caring for children with chronic diseases in school settings: A mixed studies review

This study aimed to understand school nurses' perceptions regarding barriers to and facilitators for health care services for children with chronic diseases in school settings. Using the PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Embase, and Web of Science databases, a mixed studies review was conducted for literature published between January 2011 and June 2020. We performed a mixed-methods systematic review using a convergent integrated approach. A quality appraisal of the included studies was conducted using a mixed-methods appraisal tool. Twenty-seven articles (10 qualitative, 10 quantitative, and seven mixed-methods) that met the inclusion criteria were analyzed. Integrated findings that emerged from data synthesis were categorized into four levels (intrapersonal level, interpersonal level, institutional level, and community and public policy level) based on a socio-ecological model framework. This mixed systematic review provides a comprehensive understanding of school nurses' perceived barriers and facilitators when providing school health care for students with chronic diseases and how these barriers and facilitators interact across multiple systems. Further policies and strategies should be developed to provide effective school health services considering this study's findings.

Educators' Perspectives of Collaboration With Pediatricians to Support Low-Income Children

BACKGROUND

Educational and healthcare systems operate in silos. Few studies explore educators' perspectives of collaboration with pediatricians or cross-system solutions for school-identified concerns. We sought to investigate educators' viewpoints of collaboration with pediatricians.

METHODS

We conducted semistructured, qualitative interviews with full-time teachers, vice-principals, and principals, who worked with low-income first- or second-grade students. Interviews explored which students were concerning to educators, educators' experiences with collaboration, and barriers and facilitators of collaboration. Interview transcripts were analyzed with modified grounded theory.

RESULTS

We interviewed 12 teachers and 3 principals/vice-principals. Students' socioemotional problems were a foremost concern. Effective collaboration with pediatricians was not typical. Participants described not knowing they could communicate with pediatricians or that collaboration was often limited or unidirectional. Respecting boundaries of parental privacy and maintaining parental trust emerged as potential barriers. Some participants described negative experiences with pediatricians and reflected on societal perceptions of doctors and teachers, which could affect the development of relationships. Participants recognized potential benefits to collaboration, including gaining a holistic understanding of a child's health and home life.

CONCLUSIONS

Educators perceived collaboration with pediatricians as inadequate. More developed and tested programs that foster collaboration between schools and pediatricians are needed to support low-income youth.

Building Bridges for Asthma Care: Reducing school absence for inner-city children with health disparities

BACKGROUND

Children with asthma are at increased risk for experiencing health and educational disparities because of increased school absence. School nurses are well positioned to support asthma management and improve school attendance.

OBJECTIVE

We sought to implement and assess the effect of the Building Bridges for Asthma Care Program on improving school attendance and measures of asthma control.

METHODS

Children with asthma (age, 5-14 years) in the Denver Public School System (n = 240) and the Hartford Public School System (n = 223) were enrolled in the Building Bridges Program during the 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 school years and followed until the end of the second school year. The primary outcome was school absence, with secondary outcomes, including asthma control, measured based on Childhood Asthma Control Test or the Asthma Control Test scores and rescue inhaler use.

RESULTS

Participants experienced a 22% absolute decrease in school absenteeism, the number of children with an Asthma Control Test/Childhood Asthma Control Test score of less than the control threshold of 20 decreased from 42.7% to 28.8%, and bronchodilator use greater than 2 times per week decreased from 35.8% to 22.9% (all changes were significant, P < .01).

CONCLUSIONS

Children enrolled in the Building Bridges for Asthma Care Program experienced reduced school absence and improved asthma control.