Fundamentals of School Health and School Nursing

This course offers basic preparation in school health and school nursing.  Nurses completing this course will be able to deliver health care services (excluding primary care) in the early childhood education, elementary, middle and high school setting.

The course consists of four modules at a cost of $35 per module (non-credit).  There is an additional $10 fee for handouts.  This course may be taken for academic credit, either undergraduate or graduate, for an additional fee.  Credit students have assignments whereas non-credit students do not.  All students will need a short supervised practicum of 25 hours if they have no prior experience in school settings.

The next course offering for Fundamentals of School Health and School Nursing is scheduled for July 17, 2002.  There will be one other 'on campus' day in September that will be scheduled in class on July 17 with participants.  The remainder of this program is independent study.  Classes are held at the Office of School Health, University of Colorado Denver Fitzsimons campus in Aurora, Colorado.

The outcome competencies nurses can expect to have at the end of the course include:

• Identify the essential components of a school health program according to several frameworks (e.g. strategic planning, continuous quality improvement)

• Discuss local, state and national regulations/legislation that influence the delivery of school health services.

• Compare and contrast health and education systems for the purpose of knowing how to function effectively in both systems.

Course content

Study modules

1.  Overview of school health/school nurse module

• School health frameworks
• The school as a practice setting
• Roles and functions of school nurses
• Medications
• Skills lab (screenings for sensory deficits and developmental disorders; assessment skills for common childhood problems and injuries)

2.  School health policies and regulations module

• Delegation: Supervision and performance evaluation
• Problem-based learning through case studies
• Interagency collaboration

3.  Students with special health needs module

• Individuals with Disabilities Act
• Review of common disorders   

4.  Program management module

• Needs assessments
• Planning
• Implementation
• Evaluation