eSchoolCare
For many students, the school nurse may be the only health care professional seen consistently. School nurses face challenges: too little time, few resources, and not enough peer collaboration. As the rate of children with chronic conditions climbs, the role school nurses play is critical to caring for students. To prepare school nurses to meet the demands of health care in a school, Lori Anderson, a clinical professor at UW-Madison’s School of Nursing, once a school nurse herself, created eSchoolCare. This online tool taps into the expertise from the School of Nursing and American Family Children’s Hospital on how to care for students with asthma, diabetes, severe allergies, cancer, epilepsy, gastrointestinal and mental health disorders.
Outcomes
eSchoolCare has shown significant improvements in nurse self-ratings of knowledge and confidence in caring for children with chronic conditions and consistency in applying School Nursing Scope and Standards. Helping kids to better manage their chronic health conditions can make a big difference in their education and livelihood. Students with long-lasting health issues can miss as much as three times the amount of school as healthy children. They are less likely to live up to their academic potential; have lower odds of graduating from college or finding employment; and are more likely to need public assistance due to lower incomes. By investing in students’ well-being at an early age, we can ensure a brighter future for them.