Activity: The Role of the School Nurse
Lee, a new student, has bipolar disorder, characterized by extreme mood swings. She has been taking Lithium twice a day with food in order to even out her depressive and manic stages.
Avery, a freshman at Harwood High, has been complaining of headaches every day. Avery wears glasses, but the school nurse has decided to schedule a vision screening to see how well Avery performs on the vision chart.
Harwood High has recently seen an increase in the number of student smokers. In order to implement a program to reduce the problem, the principal has asked the school nurse to research a smoking cessation curriculum for students in all grades.
Provide direct healthcare to students and staff
Provide screening and referral for health conditions
Serve in a leadership role for health policies and programs
Stephanie fainted today at lunch. The school nurse soon learns that she has been eating just one cup of pasta and one apple a day and has lost a tremendous amount of weight. The nurse explains that rapid weight reduction can be dangerous. She gives Stephanie a brochure about healthy eating plans and schedules a weekly meeting so that they can monitor her new diet.
Skyler has missed two weeks of school due to severe asthma attacks. Because Skyler’s mother can’t come to the school, the school nurse visits him at home. There she collects information for an emergency health plan and learns how to operate Skyler’s breathing machine.
Juan has had a bad cough for three weeks and has complained of having the chills. The school nurse contacts Juan’s guardian and suggests that Juan visit the doctor. The next day, she learns that Juan has TB and immediately contacts the school’s principal and other relevant authorities.
Jack has a severe allergy to nuts. Because Jack is a new student, the school nurse quickly schedules a training session to make the school’s personnel aware of his emergency plan in case Jack accidentally ingests food containing nuts.
Promote health education
Serve as a case manager and healthcare provider for students with disabilities who have special health-care needs
Promote a healthy school environment
Provide leadership for the provision of health services
Read the instructions, then click the “READY” button to test your knowledge about the role of school nurses.
Instructions:
- Read the scenarios about the different students at Harwood High School who are part of Sally Valens’s caseload.
- Think about which role Ms. Valens would exemplify most in each situation. (If you need help, refer back to the chart on Resource Page 1.)
Click the red button to call a nurse, then use the mouse to move him or her to the schoolhouse scenario that matches the correct answer shown.
Provide direct healthcare to students and staff
Provide screening and referral for health conditions
Serve in a leadership role for health policies and programs
Promote health education
Serve as a case manager and healthcare provider for students with disabilities who have special health-care needs
Promote a healthy school environment
Provide leadership for the provision of health services
That’s it!