Nursing Practice and School Health Privacy

Create a 6–8-slide PowerPoint presentation for a group of school nurses, which addresses the role of the school nurse in managing the unique health concerns of teenagers while adhering to privacy laws.

By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and assessment criteria :

· Competency 1: Explain the effect of health care policies, legislation, and legal issues on health care delivery and patient outcomes.

• Explain the laws that relate to adolescent safety and health privacy in a school setting.
• Explain how the privacy laws affect schools, students, and school nurses.

· Competency 3: Apply professional nursing ethical standards and principles to the decision-making process.

• Describe health and wellness issues specific to the adolescent population.
• Recommend evidence-based ethical strategies relating to health and wellness privacy communication by the school nurse.

· Competency 4: Communicate in a manner that is consistent with expectations of nursing professionals.

• Write content clearly and logically, with correct use of grammar, punctuation, and mechanics.
• Correctly format citations and references using APA style.

Context School nurses confront numerous legal issues in their daily work. It is important to know the standards of nursing practice specific to the state of licensure, as well as legal limitations and responsibilities of the school nurse. Role of the School Nurse It is the position of the National Association of School Nurses that the professional registered school nurse is the leader in the school community to oversee school health policies and programs. The school nurse serves in a pivotal role to provide expertise and oversight for the provision of school health services and promotion of health education. Using clinical knowledge and judgment, the school nurse provides health care to students and staff, performs health screenings, and coordinates referrals to the medical home or private health care provider. The school nurse serves as a liaison between school personnel, family, community and healthcare providers to advocate for health care and a healthy school environment (American Nurses Association & National Association of School Nurses, 2011).

Questions to Consider:

To deepen your understanding, you are encouraged to consider the questions below and discuss them with a fellow learner, a work associate, an interested friend, or a member of your professional community.

• What is FERPA?
• What is HIPAA?
• How do FERPA and HIPAA affect school health privacy?
• What unique health concerns might young people have      that differentiate them from adults?

Assessment Instructions:

You are the parent of two teenagers and an active PTA member at their school. The principal approached you about an upcoming professional gathering for middle- and high-school nurses in your district. She asked you to make a short presentation on school health privacy and how it can affect nurse-student care within the teen population, where personal health issues and privacy concerns often collide. Preparation Research and gather information about the issues facing school nurses in your state of licensure, as well as state and federal privacy laws that govern your school health privacy information. You will also need to learn about the legal limitations and responsibilities of the school nurse.

Directions Create a 6–8-slide PowerPoint presentation that examines the privacy issues unique to nurses serving the high-school age population. Address the following:

• Describe the types of health and wellness issues that      can affect adolescents in their high-school years. Be sure you think      beyond the usual things and really research the types of issues that are      affecting young people today.
• Explain how privacy laws can impact the school nurse in      regard to patient safety and health outcomes for adolescents.
• Explain how privacy laws benefit the student, the      school, and the school nurse.
• Recommend two specific evidence-based ethical      strategies regarding health and wellness privacy communications in a      school environment.
• Use the notes section of each slide to expand your      points and cite your supporting evidence. Also, include a title slide and      a reference slide that lists the resources you used in this assessment. Be      creative.
• Consider your intended audience.
• Additional Requirements :
• Your      presentation should meet the following requirements:
• Written communication:      Written communication should be free of errors that detract from the      overall message.
• References:      Include a reference slide with a minimum of three references; a majority      of these should be peer-reviewed sources. All resources should have been      published within the last 5 years.
• APA format:      Resources and citations should be formatted according to current APA style      and formatting.