Good afternoon, Dr. Janice Selekman, DNSc, RN, NCSN, FNASN and all:
Thank you for your reply, Dr. Selekman, and to all for the great questions and responses. Currently, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) includes areas to add peak flow results in their Asthma Action Plan so thank you Dr. Selekman for sharing the rationale for keeping this content in the national certification exam. Be safe and well everyone.
Resource: ASTHMA ACTION PLAN https://aafa.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/asthma-action-plan-aafa.pdf
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Michelle D. Myles, DNP, RN, CNE, LSSGB
School Nurse, ESD 159 Matteson, IL
Residence: Homewood, IL
Email: mmyles0811@gmail.com
Mobile #: 708.805.3941
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Original Message:
Sent: 02-24-2025 10:15
From: Janice Selekman, DNSc, RN, NCSN, FNASN
Subject: Peak Flow?
I am the best person to answer this, since I wrote the Review Book. I love questions like this because it makes me explore why we continue to teach certain content. There are a number of skills that have been discontinued in various school districts due to weak reliability and efficacy (as in peak flow and posture screening) or availability of less invasive interventions (such as nasal medications vs. diastat for status epilepticus). However, they are all still used and ordered across the country.
Because this is a national exam, even though your state no longer uses these interventions, the school nurse is still responsible to know how to perform/administer them. I am in the midst of writing the next edition of the review book (due out this May) and we have kept content of peak flow in that edition as well (with a note that it is not used everywhere)
Good luck everyone
Janice
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Janice Selekman DNSc, RN, NCSN, FNASN
Professor Emeritus
University of Delaware
302-622-8884 (home)
Original Message:
Sent: 2/23/2025 7:58:00 AM
From: Charlotte Varney, M.S., R.N., BSN
Subject: Peak Flow?
Hi -
I am reviewing the School Nurse Certification Review book. In chapter 4 it talks about Peak Flow. We don't use peak flow meters, zones or readings anymore -- this is out of date. What are your thoughts about being up to date with out of date information - do we still need to be prepared - that it could be on the exam?
Thank you.
Charlotte
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Charlotte Varney, MS, BSN, RN
School Nurse Leader
St. Johnsbury School District
St. Johnsbury, VT
Email: charlotte.varney@stjsd.org
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