An allergy and asthma educational outreach program for school nurses and staff

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Allergy and Immunology
• School Health Services
• Public Health Education

Background:

• School nurses face significant challenges caring for children with allergies and asthma.
• Key concerns include lack of information, medication management, and anaphylaxis recognition/treatment.
• Few schools have established allergy and asthma programs or adequate anaphylaxis policies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the needs of school nurses regarding allergy and asthma care.
• To implement and evaluate an educational outreach program for school nurses and staff.
• To improve the management of allergies, asthma, and anaphylaxis in schools.

Main Methods:

• A survey of 73 Indianapolis schools identified key concerns among school nurses.
• An educational program, including workshops and a seminar, was developed using a specialized booklet.
• A 1-year follow-up survey assessed the program's impact on school policies and practices.

Main Results:

• The educational program led to an increase in schools implementing allergy and asthma programs (from 19% to 27% based on 73 schools).
• Despite the program, school policies and practices for anaphylaxis management remained unchanged.
• The educational booklet was positively received by participants.

Conclusions:

• Targeted educational interventions can enhance allergy and asthma programs in schools.
• Significant gaps persist in school preparedness for anaphylaxis, including policy and epinephrine availability.
• Sustained efforts are crucial to ensure comprehensive care for students with allergies and asthma.