Health Matters

SCHOOL NURSES SUPPORTING A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH TO HEALTH AND LEARNING

BY ANGELA NORTON

Ohio 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,

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

school nurses, their education and their training. I encourage you to review this 14-point list of school nurse skills as a reminder of the multiple supports they can provide to students, staff, families, and the school community. Be sure to watch the accompanying video to see an Ohio school nurse talk about her experience working with her school and community colleagues to improve health and outcomes for the students at her school (education.ohio.gov/Topics/SpecialEducation/Related-Services/School-Nurse).

School nurses play a pivotal role in maintaining a healthy and safe student population. Each day school nurses ensure that basic health and safety needs of students are met. However, utilizing the WSCC Model means addressing more than physical health alone. The 2017 Ohio Department of Health Survey of Health Services in Ohio schools revealed that almost 40 percent of the state’s student population is diagnosed with mental health conditions, including ADD/ADHD. Often school nurses are seen by students as a trusted, caring adult in the school setting. This enables students to feel supported and safe, which provides opportunities for the school nurse to offer help and make referrals for those students who present themselves with mental and/or physical issues.

School nursing is recognized as a specialty practice of the nursing profession that was started in New York City public schools in late 1902. Lina Rogers was placed in a school for a one-month trial in order to provide nursing care to the students. In that month, Rogers examined nearly 900 students and made more than 130 home visits. Her nursing care of students with a variety of illnesses enabled students to stay in school and/or return to school quicker. Through her work she was able to keep students in school while they were receiving treatment, allowing learning to continue. Rogers was so successful in that month that additional school nurses were hired for the other schools in subsequent years. Exclusion for illnesses plummeted, and attendance increased dramatically in those schools.

Over the years, the role of the school nurse has adapted and evolved to meet the diverse needs of student health in an everchanging social landscape. Difficult and high-risk behaviors such as homelessness, substance use, and sexually transmitted diseases can be addressed effectively by the school nurse. School nurses are leaders in the school health arena, and they are familiar with the community resources needed to reduce and remove the nonacademic obstacles that are impeding a student’s ability to learn.

The school nurse, a trained health care professional, frequently has a pulse on what is happening in the school community. As school administrators begin to develop educational plans that incorporate a whole child approach to learning, the school nurse can be an invaluable partner within the interdisciplinary team. Be sure to include your school nurse in these activities so your students and school community can benefit from the nurse’s expertise.

Angela Norton is a Program Administrator for the Women and Family Health Services Section of the Ohio Department of Health. She can be contacted via phone at 614-466-6039.

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