An audit of medication administration: a glimpse into school health offices.

Many students require prescription and nonprescription medication to be administered during the school day for chronic and acute illnesses. School office staff members are typically delegated this task, yet these individuals are unlicensed assistive personnel without medical training. Five school nurses developed and participated in a medication audit providing a glimpse into the administration and management of medications in school health offices. The audit included 154 medications. Results of the audit showed a wide range of errors and discrepancies, including problems with transcription, physician orders or lack thereof, timing, documentation, and storage. Audit results highlight the importance of training in medication administration and management at schools. It also directs attention to view training not as a once-a-year event, but as a process. A process is needed to ensure and sustain the safe and accurate administration of medication. Towards this end, school nurses need to periodically evaluate school office staff, audit school medication records and documents, and conduct refresher classes throughout the school year.

Assessing prevalence of emotional and behavioral problems in suspended middle school students.

Schools are seeing an influx of disruptive behaviors related to an increase in emotional and behavioral issues. In the adolescent population, emotional and behavioral problems are manifested in a variety of forms and often result in some form of discipline within the school setting. Although discipline punishes the unwanted behavior, it does nothing to address the reason for the behavior. This study examined the prevalence of emotional and behavioral problems among middle school students who have been suspended. Students who are suspended are the very children at risk for social, emotional, and mental health problems. Results from the study indicate significance in some of the 14 subcategories of the Student Behavior Survey tool, lending support toward the conclusion that emotional and behavioral problems may be associated with suspensions. Advocating for assessment of emotional and behavioral needs should be considered for students with discipline problems that lead to suspension.

Quality of life in adolescents with type 1 diabetes who participate in diabetes camp.

Quality of life in adolescents with Type 1 diabetes is a growing area of interest in pediatric research. The complex diabetes regimen imposes challenges for an adolescent. Adolescents diagnosed with diabetes are a group that appears to be at risk for having a poor health-related quality of life. Although research supports the positive relationship of social support and well-being in adolescents, there are few studies discussing quality of life in adolescents that are based on the factor of social support. This study compared the quality of life in adolescents with Type 1 diabetes who have attended at least one diabetes camp to the quality of life of those who have never attended diabetes camp. Results provided evidence of the value of social support.

Understanding the culture of Chinese children and families.

Providing appropriate health care to a client can be accomplished only in an environment that is sensitive to the cultural values and beliefs of the client. As the population of first- and second-generation Chinese immigrants increases in the United States, the need to develop culturally sensitive health care becomes significant. Chinese immigrants and their families have become an important part of American society, including the school setting. The school nurse, who regularly works with students and families, should work in a manner that allows Chinese immigrants to maintain their cultural values and beliefs, while providing appropriate care for the student. The Chinese culture is unique and holds values and beliefs that contrast with those of the Western culture. A school nurse who understands and incorporates the Chinese culture will be better able to develop a positive interaction with the family and make arrangements for culturally appropriate care.

Coping and social support for parents of children with autism.

Autism in children has increased significantly in the past 15 years. The challenges and stressors associated with providing services and caring for a child with autism affect families, educators, and health professionals. This descriptive study used a survey to collect data on parents' perceptions of coping strategies and social support. Instruments included the Social Support Index and the Family Crisis Oriented Personal Evaluation Scales. One half of the families identified serious stressors in addition to autism. Acquiring social support and reframing were the most frequently used coping strategies. The school nurse is in a position to identify needs and refer families to local support groups and agencies, facilitating social support and development of coping strategies.

Evaluation of an anaphylaxis training program for unlicensed assistive personnel.

This study evaluated a training program designed to prepare unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) in high school settings to recognize and respond effectively to an anaphylactic emergency. Subjects included 53 adults employed by a high school district in the San Francisco Bay Area of California. A training model was developed based on Bandura's theory of sources of self-efficacy. Knowledge and perceived self-efficacy of participants were measured before and after the training program to determine if a theory-based anaphylaxis recognition and epinephrine auto-injector training program would increase participants' knowledge and self-efficacy in responding to an anaphylactic emergency. Paired t tests revealed significant improvement in scores for both knowledge and perceived self-efficacy following the intervention (p < .001). This theory-based training program offers a valuable model for other school nurses in providing knowledge and skill training for unlicensed assistive personnel in other health emergencies.

Special day class teachers' perceptions of the role of the school nurse.

School nurses are on the front lines of health care in public schools. The integration of students' health care needs as components of educational programs has become increasingly important as medically fragile children rely on school nurses to deliver or coordinate their health care services. The purpose of this descriptive study was to determine which school nurse services special day class teachers perceive as very important, important, somewhat important, or not important. Perceptions were surveyed via the School Nurse Services Data Collection Tool. The data were analyzed using percentages, mean values, and frequencies. The data were then aligned to match the role concepts set forth in the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) standards for school nurse preparation. The findings of this survey suggested that most of the services provided by school nurses were rated as important or somewhat important.