Self-management support has been identified as an effective nursing intervention for improving outcomes for people with chronic conditions, yet this concept lacks a clear definition. Furthermore, the concept has not been used in school nursing literature despite the clear connection between school nursing practice and tenets of self-management…

The paucity of scientifically rigorous school nursing clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) presents barriers to evidence-based care of students with special health-care needs. A "Model for Developing Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines for School Nursing" (School Nursing CPG Model) was developed under the auspices of the National…

Psychogenic nonepileptic events (PNEE) are paroxysmal changes in behavior resembling epileptic seizures but with no electrographic correlate and are instead caused by psychological factors. In this qualitative study, semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 school nurses to identify how they perceive the experience of caring for a student…

Well-prepared school nurses are more likely to handle emergencies properly. Thus, assessing crisis management preparedness is important. In August 2014, a questionnaire was sent to 275 nurses in a large Texas school system to collect data about nurse and school characteristics, emergency frequency and management, and equipment availability.…

This systematic review examines the effectiveness of Mozart's music in decreasing seizures in children with epilepsy (Mozart Effect) using the Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence-Based Practice rating scale©. A search for articles with "Mozart Effect," "child*," and "epilepsy" was conducted in CINAHL Complete, Science…

Millions of students with mental health concerns attend school each day. It is unknown how many of those students experience psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES); however, quality of life, academic, and mental health outcomes for students experiencing PNES can be bleak. Currently, no authors have addressed potential school nurse interventions…

Children and adolescents in the United States spend many hours in school. Students with chronic health conditions (CHCs) may face lower academic achievement, increased disability, fewer job opportunities, and limited community interactions as they enter adulthood. School health services provide safe and effective management of CHCs, often for…

A high prevalence of epilepsy diagnoses and seizure events among students was identified at a large Midwestern school district. In partnership with the Epilepsy Foundation of Minnesota (EFMN), a quality improvement project was conducted to provide education and resources to staff caring for school children with seizures. School nurses (N = 26)…

This article presents a quantitative assessment of the impact of an epilepsy-focused training program on school nurses. The Epilepsy Foundation and the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) created a training program titled "Managing Students with Seizures" to educate school nurses on strategies and resources that they can use to handle…

As many as 325,000 school-age children, ages 5-14, have epilepsy in the U.S. Thankfully, with medication, surgery, a special diet or vagus nerve stimulation, most go to school and fully participate in school activities. Children who continue to have seizures, however, may run into problems. Many of these problems can be overcome or prevented…

Three million Americans have epilepsy, a chronic neurological condition characterized by recurrent epileptic seizures unprovoked by any known cause. Those at risk for epilepsy include individuals with mental retardation, cerebral palsy, autism, stroke, major head trauma, central nervous system (CNS) hemorrhage, CNS infection, dementia, and brain…

Effective seizure management in the school setting is a critical issue for students with seizures, as well as their parents, classmates, and school personnel. The unpredictable nature of seizures and the potential outcomes of experiencing a seizure in school are sources of anxiety for students with seizures. The ability to respond appropriately to…

More children with chronic illnesses are attending school, and some of them struggle academically because of issues related to their health. School-based case management has been suggested as one strategy to improve the academic success of these children. This study tracked the academic, health, and quality of life outcomes for 114 children with…

The purpose of this study was to determine school nurses' knowledge of state and school district policies, their experience regarding the administration of rectal diazepam gel in the school, and the perceived benefits and barriers of providing this treatment. Four hundred nineteen nurses responded to a survey conducted during the National…

Anecdotal reports suggest school nurses and staff treat increasing numbers of public school students with chronic diseases. However, professionals know little about actual disease burden in schools. This study measured prevalence of chronic disease medication administration rates in a large, urban midwestern school district. Data from daily…