During the past decade, prevalence of food allergies among children increased. Caring for children with life-threatening food allergies has become a major challenge for school personnel Prior to 2002, Massachusetts did not provide clear guidelines to assist schools in providing a safe environment for these children and preparing for an emergency…

This 1946 paper discusses ethical issues and procedures that school nurses should follow when faced with public criticism of unsatisfactory health conditions within the school, focusing on dealing with substandard building conditions, home visits, and school health councils and explaining how the nurse should react in order to maintain…

This 1982 paper presents 10 commandments to guide school nurses, including: never allowing oneself to be ignored; always being included in school functions regarding child health; always participating in kindergarten roundups and similar activities to promote child health; always respecting parents' primary responsibility to the child; and always…

This 1958 paper divides 500 health topics into 20 categories: health as a social accomplishment/social problem; nutrition; physical fitness; mental health and disease; heredity/eugenics; infection/immunity; chronic and degenerative disease; substance abuse; skin care; vision, hearing, and speech; dental health; safety; physical environment; health…

This 1978 paper provides school nurses with a conceptual framework for structuring their practice. In discussing each of the five concepts, the paper presents a definition, a rationale for its inclusion, and examples illustrating its applicability to school nursing practice. The five concepts are: public health, adaptation, helping relationships,…

Reviews the evolution of efforts to develop effective, sustainable school health programs, arguing that efforts were significantly driven by public health priorities and have not adequately accounted for educational perspectives. A model illustrating linkages between different school-based inputs and strategies and long-term health and educational…

Describes the Health Promoting Schools Framework and its implementation in schools to prevent eating and body image disorders, examining the efficacy of preventive school-based strategies. The framework encompasses: school curriculum, teaching, and learning; school ethos, environment, and organization; and school-community partnerships and…

Explores policy deficiencies that perpetuate the status quo in school mental health service provision, discussing: a framework for moving forward; school-community collaboration and school-linked and school-based services; how to move to a three-component model for connecting with school reform; the need to address barriers to learning; and the…

Describes selection criteria based on theory, research, and best educational practice that identify key social and emotional learning (SEL) competencies and program features for promoting students' mental health and reducing risk behaviors. Program features critical to the success of school-based SEL programs emphasize curriculum design,…

Outlines four steps to improve social skills interventions that take advantage of the unique environments of schools and increase the likelihood that social skills interventions can achieve individualization and generalization. The four steps are: identifying key skills; teaching the skill in isolation; practicing in controlled settings; and…

For expanded school mental health programs to feature improved access, increased productivity, and improved behavioral outcomes, researchers, school-based mental health service providers, and educators must collaborate to move them beyond limiting constructs and approaches. The paper reviews these issues and offers an example of an ideal approach…

To successfully address mental health and psychosocial concerns in schools, practices must not be marginalized and must be implemented cohesively. Mechanisms and processes are needed to minimize marginalized and fragmented practice, link school and community resources, and develop comprehensive, multifaceted approaches. These include a…

Presents guidelines for evaluating school-based health clinic services coordinated and/or staffed by nurse practitioners from a holistic approach. The Shuler Nurse Practitioner Practice Model is used as a theoretical framework for the guidelines because it presents a holistic approach to patient assessment, problem identification/diagnosis…

Describes an instructional strategy that uses the format, procedures, and rules of the game show, "Who Wants To Be a Millionaire?" to teach health education. It helps students understand key health concepts previously presented in other formats and use critical thinking skills to determine appropriate options for potential success. The paper…

School health educators encourage the use of portfolios to demonstrate student learning. Electronic portfolios can solve problems inherent in traditional portfolios, reducing storage space and allowing video, audio, and interactive components to be included in documenting student growth. This paper describes benefits of electronic portfolios,…