Empowering students on medication for asthma to be active participants in their care: an exploratory study

This article is part of a larger study of young students with asthma. It focuses on the observations of school nurses and comments from parents and students pertinent to school nursing practice. The study shed light on the educational needs of 9- to 11-year-old students with asthma and identified some areas where the school nurse could easily enhance the health management of these students. Responses from students and parents about asthma provided insight into the daily challenges faced by students with asthma. Students with asthma may or may not fully understand the seriousness of their chronic condition or how to recognize and treat symptoms. The purpose of this pilot study was to identify strategies school nurses might use to determine the knowledge level of students and to determine the effects of asthma education programs. School nurses who participated in the study were provided with a comprehensive package containing current asthma information and an education program to update knowledge and skills. These school nurses also received Open Airways for Schools, an American Lung Association education program for students in grades three to five. The study was a two-group exploratory, quasi-experimental design. Questionnaires were prepared for students, school nurses, and parents to collect information on knowledge and perceptions about asthma. Students who participated in the educational program were reported by their school nurses to have increased knowledge and management skills related to their disease.