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SCHOOL NURSES SUPPORTING A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH TO HEALTH AND LEARNING BY ANGELA NORTON
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hio can only reach success by meeting the needs of the whole child. The time a child spends in school is precious and should ensure all aspects of a child’s well-being are addressed, including the physical, social, emotional, and intellectual aspects.” This is one of the foundational tenants of the Ohio Department of Education’s (ODE) “Each Child, Our Future” Strategic Plan for Education. Much attention has been focused on viewing students through a more comprehensive lens. This wholistic approach to meeting the educational needs of Ohio’s students uncovers many variables that affect a child’s ability to learn. Over time, educators have realized that children come to school carrying physical, social, and emotional issues that don’t disappear when the school bell rings. These nonacademic barriers often prevent a child from being ready and able to learn. The Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) Model promoted by ASCD and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offer strategies to help school lessen some of these barriers. This whole child approach is in part being adopted by ODE and incorporated into the new strategic plan. A review of the plan reveals that the whole child model is reflected in priority strategy seven: Work together with parents, caregivers and community partners to help schools meet the needs of the whole child. Through “Each Child, Our Future,” ODE aims to support aspects of the whole-child approach that would include the following: • Healthy: Each student enters school healthy and learns about and practices a healthy lifestyle • Safe (physically and emotionally): Each student learns in an environment that is physically and emotionally safe • Engaged: Each student is engaged in learning and is connected to the school and broader community • Supported: Each student has access to personalized learning,
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along with other necessary resources, and is supported by qualified, caring, and committed adults • Challenged: Each student is challenged academically and prepared Collaboration is the basis of the entire strategy. In addition to families and schools, there are many community partners who have a lot to offer in making a positive impact on the education of Ohio’s youth. The WSCC model is about collaboration and working as a team to effectively help students achieve their highest potential in school and throughout life. This type of collaboration is common practice for the licensed professional school nurse working in the school setting. Care coordination is foundational to meeting the health needs of students. Understanding the whole child and how external variables can affect a student’s health and their ability to learn is a basic skill used by school nurses. The National Association of School Nurses (NASN) Framework for 21st Century School Nursing Practice provides guidance for the practicing school nurse on how to support student health and academic success by contributing to a healthy and safe school environment. The tenants of this framework also closely align with the WSCC Model promoted by ASCD and the CDC by supporting the collaborative approach to learning. This framework emphasizes care coordination, quality improvement, community/public health, leadership, and standards of nursing practice in collaboration with the family and school community to support students who are healthy, safe, ready to learn. School nurses are an integral part of the educational team. Their ability to assess students’ physical and emotional health needs is an important function in providing a safe and supportive environment. ODE has a description of the roles and responsibilities of the School Nurse on their website, which includes general information about
