In comparison to classmates without epilepsy, pupils with epilepsy typically perform less well on activities requiring attention, concentration, and short-term (working) memory. The epileptic seizure known as an absence seizure (formerly known as a petit mal) is marked by modest symptoms, including a sudden, temporary cessation of activity lasting 10 to 30 seconds, a trance-like appearance, fluttering eyelids, and lip or mouth movements. It's possible for a pupil having an absence seizure to merely appear to be daydreaming. The student can struggle to digest new knowledge and miss important details concerning assignments that were discussed in class. Seizures at night may interfere with sleep and make students more tired throughout the school day. Additionally, sleepiness and issues with memory and concentration are side effects of anti-seizure drugs.
A school nurse's primary responsibilities include informing kids and families about community and governmental options for health-related issues and aiding families in finding resources to address the physical, mental, and emotional needs of pupils. The school nurse can respond quickly and link families to necessary services by forming and maintaining ties with neighborhood organizations, doctors, and health advocacy groups. For instance, school nurses might help families sign up for state or federal health insurance programs or find groups that support students with physical or mental challenges.
Families are essential to the growth and development of their kids. Initial interactions between a school nurse and families should assist the establishment of a positive, culturally sensitive rapport that fosters successful communication and collaboration, which is crucial in the event of a challenging health-related issue. A school nurse who is culturally competent is aware that culture might encompass beliefs, lifestyle, place of residence, experiences in life, gender identity, language, food customs, and social structure. A school nurse can work toward developing rapport, fostering understanding, and encouraging collaboration with the families of students with health problems while being aware of and keeping sensitive to these cultural traits.
Family marital conflict, which is linked to adjustment issues for the children in the home, including impairments in social and academic performance, is at risk when there is unemployment and depression in the home. Greater kid emotional insecurity is directly linked to parent or caregiver depression. According to research, kids whose parents have been depressed are more likely to struggle in school and have interpersonal and social difficulties than kids whose parents have never been depressed.
According to Illinois regulations regulating student health records and privacy legislation, student visits to the school health office should be recorded. The keeping of individual student visit records enables school nurses to monitor and assess the use of the student health center over time, look at data like the frequency and purpose of visits for specific students, and go through nursing notes to help with diagnoses and health issues.
Maintaining a nonpatient supply of epinephrine to give in the event of life-threatening events at schools is supported by an official policy statement from the National Association of School Nurses (NASNN A S N). Nearly 25% of all epinephrine administrations in K–12 schools involved students or employees who were unaware they had a life-threatening allergy, according to a two-year study of 48 school districts that was published in the journal Pediatrics. According to the Illinois Emergency Epinephrine Act, schools are permitted to keep epinephrine auto-injectors on hand, and school nurses are authorized to give epinephrine to any student they suspect is having anaphylaxis.
To request health status information from a student's outside health-care provider, a school nurse must have written consent or authorization from the parent/guardian or eligible student. Although a psychologist or other provider may relay or clarify treatment orders to a school nurse or other people involved in a student's treatment, the provider and the school nurse should both respect the legal principle of confidentiality related to student health records and refrain from disclosing information about a student's health status without first obtaining signed authorization.
