Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #110412

Pam S. Buchalter, PhDc, RN¹, Diane Allensworth, PhD², Patricia C. Clark, PhD, RN¹, Colleen DiIorio, PhD, RN³, and Gloria Taylor, DSN, RNc⁴. (1) Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Emory University, 2041 Dayron Court, Marietta, GA 30062, 770-579-6423, pblumson@yahoo.com, (2) Executive Director, Kids' Health, 1655 Tullie Circle NE, Atlanta, GA 30329, (3) Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Department of Behavioral Sciences & Health Education, 1520 Clifton Rd. NE, Atlanta, GA 30322, (4) Wellstar School of Nursing, Kennesaw State University, 1000 Chastain Road, #1601, Kennesaw, GA 30144

Healthy People 2010 objective 7-4 recommends a ratio of one school nurse to every 750 students; however, most schools fall short of this ratio and according to the School Health Policies and Programs Study, only 52.9% of schools nationwide had met this goal by 2000. Therefore, unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) often provide care in the school setting when a school nurse is not present. The purpose of this study was to compare differences in school health care practices between school nurses and UAP.

In the spring of 2004, 23 elementary schools with a part-time school nurse were randomly selected from a large, urban school district in Georgia. The nurses (n=23) and UAP (n=22) collected data on a total of 1,477 unplanned school health care encounters over a two-month period. School nurses were significantly more likely to provide an intervention (p< .001) and gave significantly more interventions per school health care encounter than UAP (p< .001). Nurses and UAP were equally likely to speak to parents (p= .084), but nurses were significantly more likely to provide follow-up suggestions to parents (p< .001) or to send a note home (p< .001). Nurses were also significantly more likely to have a student remain with them for observation (p = .002). Finally, nurses were significantly more likely than UAP to return students to class (p< .001).

Differences exist in clinical practice between school nurses and UAP and should be considered as decisions are made about hiring school nurses to provide care in elementary schools.

Learning Objectives:

• At the conclusion of this session, the participant will be able to identify differences between school nurses and UAP in the school health care services provided to students.
• At the conclusion of this session, the participant will be able to describe how differences in clinical practice between school nurses and UAP demonstrate the benefit of having a school nurse.

Keywords: School Health, Health Care Delivery

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation