Health Care Utilization for Children Dependent on Long-Term Mechanical Ventilation: Impact on US Public Schools
An eLetter from Martha Bergren, NASN Director of Research published in Pediatrics, the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
Read the letter on the AAP site dated 05/24/2011
American Nurses Association position statement on patient safety and electronic health records
NASN submitted comments to ANA.
Read the comments shared on June 19, 2011.
FERPA proposed changes
NASN submitted comments and recommendations.
Read these submitted May 23, 2011.
Amicus Brief Filed by the U.S. Department of Justice in the Supreme Court of California
Amicus Brief Filed by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) in the Supreme Court of California, American Nurses Association (ANA), et al. v. O'Connell, Case No. S184583 re Caring for Students with Diabetes.
The American Nurses Association (ANA) has supported the CA school nurses in legal action when they were ordered to delegate insulin administration to unlicensed personnel, which is in violation of the CA Nurse Practice Act. The ANA/CNA was victorious in the suit. The CA Department of Education (DOE) appealed the decision, which was upheld in CA Appellate Court. The CA DOE, working with the American Diabetes Association, has now been granted a hearing in the CA Supreme Court. NASN has been working with the ANA throughout the process. Recently, NASN, with the support of many of its affiliates and other nursing and professional organizations, filed an amicus brief to provide the court with the details on the needs of students with diabetes.
School nurses are generally opposed to employers creating an environment where the most vulnerable citizens, children with special health care needs in our schools, are receiving substandard care. This type of policy can become a serious threat to all services provided by specialized instructional support personnel. It is the view of the ANA and NASN that employers should not be allowed to circumvent the standards set by the State’s Nurse Practice Act or standards of other professions, and thereby regulate a profession apart from its licensing or certifying body.
We also hope to clarify that the issue of the availability of school nurses to provide care for students in the California schools. There is not a shortage of school nurses, rather there is a lack of funding for school nurse positions.
Any questions related to the lawsuit can be directed to the ANA at 1-800-274-4ANA (4262). NASN will continue to update members on actions related to the case. We appreciate your concern and support throughout this process. NASN remains committed to safe care for all students.
Read the brief shared in 2011.
Reducing preventable child mortality at school
An eLetter from Martha Bergren, NASN Director of Research published in Pediatrics, the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
Read the letter on the AAP site dated 09/19/2010
FERPA / HIPAA proposed changes
NASN made public comments on Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act: Modifications to the HIPAA Privacy, Security, and Enforcement Rules (Document ID HHS-OCR-2010-0016-0001). The proposed revision suggests that providers be able to accept parent oral authorization to share immunization information with school as opposed to the written authorization now required. NASN recommends treating schools as a public health agency and not requiring any authorization to share immunization information with schools.
Read the proposed modifications dated 07/14/2010
Read the full text of the public comments dated 09/07/2010
The National Quality Forum solicited public comments on its Voluntary Consensus Standards for Patient Outcomes: Child Health and Mental Health (Phase III)
NQF has endorsed more than 70 child health measures, they are specific to children who are hospitalized or who are chronically ill. In November 2009, NQF launched a new initiative, the Child Health Outcomes Project. A preliminary set of suggested measures was released in July 2010, and public comments were solicited until August 11. The National Association of School Nurse submitted comments regarding the potential for proposed measures to be used to measure child health outcomes sensitive to school nursing care.
Read the comments dated 08/08/2010
Meaningful Use of Electronic Health Records
Public comment submitted March 15, 2010 on the proposed rule for the meaningful use of Electronic Health Records
School nurses work with 50 Million school-aged children from birth to 21 in every type of school setting. School nurses are extensions of the public health system and a vital component of the care of children with chronic health conditions
and disabilities. A significant proportion of health care in the United States is provided daily in schools.
Data collected by school nurses enhances the ability of primary care providers to evaluate the plan of care and hold promise for evaluating efficacy of treatment protocols across populations. There is a sizable data gap regarding school health. There is a lack of data on the types and frequency of health services delivered in schools and the impact of that care on the health of children and families. School health data must be captured or the decisions made to ensure quality health care for America’s children are made using incomplete information.
Many of the children school nurses see are not served by the traditional health care system. While school nurses facilitate connecting school children to SCHIP and a medical home, many of the children in school every day live in the margins of society. The school nurse may provide only health care accessible to some school aged children. The data about the children outside of the larger health care system are not captured in average primary care settings and by EHR in the primary care provider office.
In a recent poll, 59% of National Association of School Nurse members report they use electronic health records to record student health care. In Delaware, all school nurses use electronic health records and are using a uniform program. Several other states are implementing electronic health records in schools to facilitate state level data.
When Health Information Exchanges do not interact with health care settings outside primary care provider or acute care, a complete picture of child health is missed. Meaningful use of health data depends on capturing health information collected in all care environments.
Read the comprehensive version also submitted on 03/15/2010
Learn more about the HHS Health Information Technology work
HealthIT.hhs.gov is a product of the joint efforts of the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
Recommendations were submitted by NASN during the public comment process for the Healthy People 2020 Objectives
Read the recommendations submitted in January 2010
NASN represented at the Institute of Medicine Future of Nursing Initiative
Martha Bergren, Director of Research, testified at the Institute of Medicine Future of Nursing Initiative in Philadelphia on the public health role of school nurses.
Read the testimony dated 12/03/2009
NASN provides comments and recommendations to proposed revisions to the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
Martha Dewey Bergren, NASN Director of Research, provided public comment.
Read the comments dated 05/08/2008