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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Joyce Splann Krothe, DNS RN and Wendy Stoelting Gettelfinger, DNS RN JD. School of Nursing, Indiana University, 1033 East Third St., Sycamore Hall, Rm. 400, Bloomington, IN 47405, 812-855-1731, jkrothe@indiana.edu

This presentation will describe the role of baccalaureate nursing students in working with a rural school corporation to implement the Coordinated School Health Program (CSHP).CSHP is a national program which recognizes the profound connection between health and learning and has the potential to improve student health and contribute to improvement in academic achievement. The school corporation described in this presentation noted poor nutrition and the lack of adequate exercise for elementary students, and documented that 50% of the 5th and 6th grade students had a Body Mass Index (BMI) at the 75th percentile or above. In response to the concern for student health, the school corporation adopted food policies to address the issue, including elimination of fried foods from menus, elimination of soft drinks and high fat and high caloric snacks from school vending machines, offering fresh fruits and vegetables as daily food choices, and offering elective physical education classes. Parental involvement is essential to the successful implementation of the CSHP. An advisory council with broad community based representation was formed and the nursing students focused their efforts on expanding parental involvement in the partnership. In addition they developed culturally appropriate nutritional educational materials for parents, conducted student-parent nutrition educational presentations, and wrote updates related to the CSHP for the monthly school newsletter which is sent to parents. Results of their involvement with the CHSP will be described, including documented outcomes in student health behaviors.

Learning Objectives: