In-Person NASN2024 Session
Saturday, June 29: 11am-12:15pm
Chicago, Illinois
When you think of student health in schools your first thought is not telemedicine. However, telemedicine is quickly becoming a tool to fill the gap between the consistent problems of workforce shortages and budget limitations.
Telehealth allows virtual nurses to help underserved communities that may not have access to an in-house school nurse. Examples of these communities include Indian reservations, rural areas, or, on the opposite end, densely populated school districts, all with one problem: a shortage in access to school healthcare.
To be clear, I’m not suggesting telemedicine is a replacement for school nurses, but rather an additional resource for support. My team currently serves 140 schools in twelve states. In some districts, we are the primary nurse for a school that has never had a nurse. In other districts, we assist the onsite nurse who may serve multiple schools, sometimes with many miles between buildings.
How It Works
Our nurses serve many school districts across the United States through virtual communication. School staff can immediately connect to our experienced school nurses through a FERPA/HIPAA compliant platform that has assessment tools such as an amplified stethoscope, otoscope, derm camera and a thermometer. We are able to assess the student, then call parents with recommendations.
On top of meeting all student health needs, the model allows the assigned building nurse to have a partner, thus cutting down the need to travel emergently between buildings and also having someone to assist with tasks such as immunization review, care plan creation and staff training. For nurses new to the specialty of school nursing the virtual nurse provides a mentor and sometimes second opinion during the orientation process.
Join me in learning more about an established telemedicine school nurse program as well as creatively thinking about the possible use of telemedicine in your district. Is there a way to maximize your current staff using telemedicine? Can telemedicine help with staffing shortages or sub coverage? My hope is that by the end of the session you will take away ideas of how to serve the students better and telehealth just might be a force multiplier in your district!!