Guidelines for adolescent preventive services: a role for the school nurse

Area of Science:

• Adolescent Health
• Preventive Services
• Behavioral Risk Factors

Background:

• Adolescent morbidity and mortality are increasingly linked to complex behavioral and psychosocial risks.
• The American Medical Association developed Guidelines for Adolescent Preventive Services (GAPS) to address these risks.
• Existing studies confirm the GAPS protocol's effectiveness in private and school-based clinics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the feasibility of school nurses delivering the GAPS protocol.
• To assess the potential for school nurses to collaborate with school and community professionals in delivering GAPS.
• To identify key considerations for implementing GAPS by school nurses.

Main Methods:

• Exploratory analysis of adapting the GAPS protocol for school nurse delivery.
• Discussion of practical implementation issues including student identification, survey administration, and triage.
• Consideration of interdisciplinary collaboration, confidentiality, barriers, and time constraints.

Main Results:

• The GAPS protocol shows potential for adaptation to school nurse-led screening.
• Successful implementation requires addressing logistical and collaborative challenges.
• School nurses can play a vital role in adolescent preventive health services.

Conclusions:

• School nurses are well-positioned to deliver the Guidelines for Adolescent Preventive Services (GAPS).
• Collaboration with other professionals is crucial for effective GAPS implementation by school nurses.
• This model offers a scalable approach to improving adolescent health outcomes through preventive screening.