Providing asthma care in elementary schools: understanding barriers to determine best practices

School nurses play a critical role in the management of children's asthma, yet they face barriers in their efforts to deliver quality care. In this qualitative study involving focus groups with school nurses, we identified key barriers in order to inform best practices. School nurses identified 4 main barriers to effective asthma care in elementary schools: lack of education, lack of communication, lack of resources, and lack of respect. An analysis of the barriers suggests that best practices for asthma care in elementary school settings require collaborative strategies that involve schools, families, the community, and the healthcare profession.