Chronic neurological conditions in the classroom: a school nurse curriculum for sustaining a healthy learner

Technologic and pharmacologic advances have improved school attendance for students with chronic neurological conditions. Supporting the special needs of these students presents challenges for parents, school nurses, school staff, and health care providers. Many school nurses have less confidence in managing some neurological conditions, thus identifying a need for continuing education. Education around a broad spectrum of common child neurology conditions can help school nurses blend educational, medical, and health services action plans. A curriculum was developed based upon the Child Neurology Telephone Encounter Guides (Sprague-McRae, Rosenblum, & Morrison, 2009). The curriculum uses the Child Neurology Process-Oriented Triage conceptual framework (Rosenblum & Sprague-McRae, 2009) and the Healthy Learner Model (Erickson, Splett, Mullett, & Heiman, 2006) to promote and maintain student health. This collection of child neurology educational and assessment content guides school nurses through in-person or telephone interactions with health care providers, students, and parents for selected child neurology issues.