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

Morbidity and mortality for today's adolescent are linked most often to complex behavioral and psychosocial risk factors than in the past. The American Medical Association has developed Guidelines for Adolescent Preventive Services (GAPS) to assist the primary health practitioner in deterring adolescents from participating in health-debilitating behaviors and to promote health-enhancing behaviors. Studies have affirmed usefulness of the GAPS protocol in the private practitioner's office and in the school-based clinic. This paper explores the possibility of using the traditional school nurse to deliver the GAPS in collaboration with school and community professionals. Issues explored include identifying students for he screening, administering the survey, triage of students, interdisciplinary and interagency collaboration, confidentiality, barriers, and time constraints.