SCHOOL RNS LEAD EDUCATION EFFORTS FOR STUDENTS WITH DIABETES

Course overview

Diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases in school-age children. In the United States, about 186,300 people under the age of 20 have diabetes (about 0.2% of all people in this age group). Because of this incidence and the federal laws that guarantee students with disabilities access to public education, most school nurses already have students with diabetes on campus -- or will in the future and must be well informed about the special needs of students with diabetes so that they can have a successful school experience. School nurses must be in touch with professionals on the student's healthcare team outside the school to ensure that each discipline works toward common goals and provides continuity of care. The healthcare team may include the primary care physician or nurse practitioner, an endocrinologist, a certified diabetes educator and a registered dietitian. If the student receives treatment by specialists for other illnesses or complications of diabetes or sees a mental health counselor, they must be part of the healthcare team for the student. The school nurse is the most appropriate person to coordinate the care of students with diabetes and to train school staff on diabetes-related tasks and how to treat any diabetes-related emergency. The goals, discussed in this module, are to reduce absenteeism, ease the student's transition to an academic environment, help the student participate in school functions and prevent health crises.