⇐ Return to School Health Services
As of March 2017, the Texas Guide to School Health Services is web
based. It provides resources for school administrators, school nurses, teachers and other staff members to develop, implement and evaluate school health programs. Resources include information on school health
services and programs to assist school health personnel. The guide is divided into eight sections to
help with navigation.
How to access information in
this guide:
Click
on the headings to go to a topic of interest. Each page lists best
practice resources from national agencies, Texas agencies, nursing organizations
and other reputable sources. If further assistance is needed, please email the School Health Program.
The
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Coordinated School Health
(CSH) approach has been the traditional mainstay for integrating
health-promoting practices in the school setting since 1987. In 2013, the
CDC and ASCD introduced the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child model
(WSCC) to expand upon the traditional CSH approach and bring greater alignment
between the education and health sectors. More information can be found
about the current WSCC model, the traditional CSH approach, and Texas’
requirement for CSH programs in this section.
Children come to school with a
variety of health conditions. Some are acute and some are chronic in nature.
School health service staff are responsible for the prevention and management
of these conditions in the school setting. This section includes information on
allergies, anaphylaxis, asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, healthcare plans, mental
health issues, traumatic brain injuries, and seizures.
School health services staff
need to know school health–related laws, rules, and regulations to assure the
health and safety of students. This section includes links and information on student
health records, HIPAA and FERPA laws, and out of hospital do-not
resuscitate orders.
School nurses serve in a
pivotal role that bridges healthcare and education. As the main health contact
in the school setting, school nurses address the physical, mental, emotional,
and social health needs of students. The Nurse Practice Act, Texas Board of
Nursing Rules and Regulations, and other resources related to school nursing
and school health services roles are included in this section.
Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) are laws that protect
children with special healthcare and educational needs. More
information about these laws, rules, and recommended
practices for the management of children’s special healthcare and educational
needs are included in this section.
School health office resources include materials that are used by school
health services personnel on a regular basis. This section includes information
on communicable diseases, environmental health, emergency preparedness, health programming,
medical assistance programs and other useful information.
School health services is a "coordinated
system that ensures a continuum of care from school to home to community health
care provider and back" (Small et al., 1995). This section includes information
on bloodborne pathogen control, immunizations, medication administration,
emergency response, screenings, and student safety.
Skilled procedures are
procedures carried out to help students maintain health or help students and
staff in an emergency situation. The documents contained in this section outline
step-by-step instructions for how to address and perform healthcare tasks in
the school setting. This section includes sample administrative guidelines,
procedure checklists, problem lists, and physician’s order forms for various health
conditions.
▲ Top