Hidden Devices in the School Setting: What the Nurse Needs to Know About Shunts

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Nursing
• Medical Device Management
• Child Health Care

Background:

• Millions of children have special health care needs, often involving hidden medical devices.
• School nurses require specialized knowledge beyond basic assessment to manage these children.
• Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunts are one example of a common hidden medical device.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the need for school nurse training on hidden medical devices.
• To address the growing population of children with special health care needs.
• To inform about the Specialized Health Needs Interagency Collaboration (SHNIC) program's training initiatives.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of requests for in-person training at the Kennedy Krieger Institute.
• Focus on training needs related to ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunts.
• Identification of knowledge gaps in school nurse preparedness for hidden medical devices.

Main Results:

• The SHNIC program received specific requests for training on VP shunts.
• This indicates a demand for practical education on managing children with these devices.
• Existing training may not adequately cover the identification and management of all hidden medical devices.

Conclusions:

• School nurses require enhanced training to effectively care for children with hidden medical devices.
• Specialized training programs are essential to equip nurses with necessary skills for devices like VP shunts.
• Addressing these training needs is vital for improving health outcomes for children with special health care needs.