Healthy People 2010 goals call for increasing the number of school nurses per student to 1:750. Although Lillian Wald demonstrated that school nurses could dramatically reduce absenteeism and thereby foster academic success, only 28% of middle schools met this goal in 1994. Currently only 16 FTE public health nurses serve more than 140 schools in Milwaukee. Beginning in 1994 senior nursing students began a series of aggregate assessments in a middle school where 89% of students were eligible for free or reduced fee lunch. A randomized survey of parents was conducted at the school’s request. All students were screened for blood pressure, height, weight, and vision in 1997 and newly admitted students have been screened and referred as needed since then. Nursing students worked with school faculty to provide a health fair for the 800 students with forty booths by community resource people. Letters to legislators were written by nursing students based on their experience in the school to urge improvement of the infrastructure and funding for school health services. District administrators conducted focus groups with middle school students and found nursing students were highly valued as health care resources. As we work toward meeting 2010 goals, collaborative relationships between schools and colleges of nursing may help identify needs, assist in program development and facilitate evaluation.
Learning Objectives: 1. Describe elements of effective partnerships to reduce health disparities. 2. Discuss options for community development in schools. 3. Propose evaluation methods for both reduction of health disparities and nursing student competence
Keywords: Access to Health Care, Adolescent Health
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.