The Journal of School Nursing

Advances in medicine have increased the survival rates of children with complex medical conditions, including those who are dependent on technology such as ventilators and tracheostomies. The process of integrating children dependent on medical technology into public schools requires the collaboration of a multidisciplinary team to ensure that both their educational and health care needs are met. As coordinator of the school health program, the school nurse plays a vital role throughout the integration process and during the time the student is enrolled in the school. This article presents a case study that demonstrates the steps in the integration process, the roles of the team members, and implications for school nursing practice.

This article presents a conceptual strategy which uses the Behavioral Ecological Model (BEM) as a health promotion framework to guide school-based bullying awareness programs and subsequent anti-bullying strategies for school nursing practice. Anti-bullying frameworks and tools are scarce despite the extent of the problem of bullying. This article reviews existing literature centered on the BEM and illustrates how the model can be applied to the school-setting. This is the first time that a multilevel framework has been proposed for school-based anti-bullying in the form of a model. The BEM is a useful tool for assisting in the development of more comprehensive programs to influence anti-bullying intervention in school-based nursing practice.

The Conceptual Model of Nursing Health Policy (CMNHP) was used to guide this study of client satisfaction as one component of an ongoing assessment of the Essential School Health Service (ESHS) Programs conducted by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Random samples of parents/guardians of students who use the school nursing services were surveyed to determine the extent to which they were satisfied with school nursing services. The results indicate that parents/guardians have a high level of satisfaction with school nursing services. Mean rank satisfaction scores of parents of children with special health care needs were significantly higher then those parents of children without special health care needs. School nurses were encouraged to share the results of the study with various stakeholders in their school district.

Despite the recognized importance of school nurses, the ratios of nurse to pupil are insufficient in many states across the country. The purpose of this study was to describe school nurse-to-pupil ratios by state and to statistically identify factors that may influence these ratios. Funding per pupil unit in general and support services and laws mandating school nurse ratios were some of the factors found to be associated with school ratios. Although the study has significant limitations, this is the first study of its kind to examine factors associated with ratios using secondary databases that are state-specific. Data such as this provide a context for studying those factors potentially influencing ratios. Further studies are needed to explore the numerous potential determinants described in the literature. Once key factors are identified, school nurses can effectively focus their efforts to lower school nurse-pupil ratios.

Autism is a developmental disability increasing in incidence over the past decade. Parents of children with autism experience prolonged levels of stress and isolation. Using qualitative research design, nine parents of children with autism participated in this study that focused on the effect of autism on the family, coping styles, and support systems. The target population was first-generation Southeast Asian American parents. Results revealed nine coping style patterns: (a) denial/passive coping, (b) empowerment, (c) redirecting energy, (d) shifting of focus, (e) rearranging life and relationships, (f) changed expectations, (g) social withdrawal, (h) spiritual coping, and (i) acceptance. The school was considered the primary supportive entity. Although findings may not be unique to the Southeast Asian group, the research provides an in-depth perspective on their lived experience, their struggles, and strengths. Insight gained from this investigation can help school nurses better understand the affect of autism on families, identify specific needs, and address these needs by advocating for appropriate supportive programs.

The need for successful nutrition interventions is critical as the prevalence of childhood obesity increases. Thus, this pilot project examines the effect of a nutrition education program, Color My Pyramid, on children’s nutrition knowledge, self-care practices, activity levels, and nutrition status. Using a pretest–posttest, quasiexperimental design, 126 fourth- and fifth-grade students from experimental and control schools are compared. The intervention program incorporates an online component www.MyPyramid.gov, Orem’s Self-Care Deficit Nursing Theory, and consists of six classes taught over a 3-month period. Results indicated that the program increased nutrition knowledge in the control group. Furthermore, it increased activity time from pretest to posttest and decreased systolic blood pressure for children in both groups; however, there were no significant differences in BMI percentiles. The findings indicate that Color My Pyramid can be successfully employed in school settings and thus support school nursing practice.