Tuesday: July 9

Self-scheduled, one-on-one, or small group conversations in the virtual Braindate platform.

Studies show that as many as 7 out of 10 adults have experienced at least one Adverse Childhood Experience before the age of 18, making trauma-informed approaches essential for school communities. In this interactive learning opportunity, we will explore how to use a trauma-informed approach in daily school nursing practice to support students, families, and staff, and create healthy school and out-of-school environments for everyone. Using case examples and tangible take-home resources, participants will practice applying the principles of a trauma-informed approach to their daily work and learn how school-based and clinical healthcare providers can work together when supporting students and their families so that students are healthy, safe, and ready to learn. School nurses will learn more about applying trauma-informed approaches to Care Coordination (including collaborative communication and student-centered care) as it applies to NASN’s School Nursing Practice Framework™. A trauma-informed approach also considers Community/Public Health (such as cultural competency, healthy equity, and social determinants of health) in the Framework. The session material will be rooted in the trauma-informed frameworks of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the University of California San Francisco’s Healthy Environments and Response to Trauma in Schools (HEARTS) program.

Students may contract diseases transmitted by tick and/or mosquito bites at home, school, and during travel. School nurses will share experiences and provide guidance on referring students for treatment when appropriate and on helping educate students, faculty, and the community on proven bite-avoidance strategies. This evidence-based presentation addresses myths and misinformation about vectors, disease transmission, and removal/disposal of embedded ticks. Speakers will explain the risks of encountering vectors in specific parts of the U.S., the diseases they transmit, and symptoms specific to children. They will share details of presumptive diagnoses, disease progression, and outcomes and will suggest personal protection practices. They will focus on risk awareness based on district demographics and education needs of specific populations including individuals of diverse backgrounds and non-English speakers. Prompt recognition of vector-borne diseases based on symptoms and timely referral for medical assessment is crucial in preventing serious or life-threatening sequelae. Rocky Mountain spotted fever, a tick-borne disease, occurs widely across the country and can be deadly within eight days without immediate medical intervention. Lyme disease is a well-known issue. Its characteristic rashes may look different for some students. Infected mosquitoes transfer pathogens causing encephalitis or meningitis. Non-travel related malaria and dengue have recently appeared in the U.S. Presentation attendees will be equipped to advise parents, students, and other school community members about vector-borne concerns, accommodating the needs of children and prevention strategies. This presentation will incorporate NASN’s School Nursing Practice Framework™ principles of evidence-based practice, clinical competence, collaborative communication, and public health.

Climate change impacts our students in a variety of ways. Not only are they aware of the increasing number of major natural disasters, but many of them are experiencing these disruptive events in their own lives and the lives of their loved ones. Beyond climate disasters, young people are increasingly concerned about the current and long-term impact of a changing climate on the trajectory of their lives. Along with these experiences, our students are more aware of the unequal distribution of impacts among various groups, especially those that have been historically marginalized (poverty, disability, minoritized groups). In this session, the presenters will utilize NASN’s School Nursing Practice Framework™ to guide our discussion. We will review the impacts of climate change on student mental health and learning. We will also address how these impacts may affect different communities in unique ways, highlighting health equity concerns. The discussion will then consider tangible strategies for school nurses to implement that will support the mental health of their students related to climate change. School nurses will be given the opportunity to engage with a case study and reflect on their own practice to empower them to identify one action step that works for them and their school/community setting.

Self-scheduled, one-on-one, or small group conversations in the virtual Braindate platform.