Health screening questions

[Jacquipals]

Hello fellow school RNs! Some questions for you as this is my first time doing screenings (height, vision, BMI).

1) do you screen students who passed the screenings at their PE if you have documentation that is within a year?

2) do you checked height/weight/BMI if you have a current PE on file?

3)how do you notify parents about screenings so they can choose to opt out? email, letter?

Thanks so much!

[AdobeRN]

Do you have a policy in place? what does the state say?

I am in Texas - if I get documentation from a physicians office dated in the summer till now I will use that info and do not screen those kids. Our district does not require physicals at the elementary level so most of the time the documentation I get is for new kinder kids or new to state/district kids - and I don't get alot. We have a few kids that have special needs - severe vision issues and/or hearing issues (wear FM system in class etc); I do not screen those kids unless parents request it - majority of the time those kids are being seen by a specialist anyway and if there are questions from the teachers I will just call the parent and ask when the last exam was.

In Texas - our screenings are part of state law, we have the info in the handbooks that parents are required to sign every year that they have reviewed the handbook. I will put the info in our newsletter that goes out weekly basically stating "we are starting screenings on XXX date, if you have questions or concerns please notify the nurse. The nurse will notify parents if additional testing is needed....blah blah blah".

[Eleven011]

We don't have any requirements for a PE in elementary, and only need them in HS if they are playing sports, so that doesn't really affect my screenings at all. I screen everyone in K-6th. I screen for Ht/Wt/BP&P (BMI is calculated when I enter them in IC) in my office and then the Lions come and do vision screenings. We put in our handbook that this happens, so there is no need for a separate letter of notification to parents.

[ruby_jane, BSN, RN]

1. Mostly no because a real exam beats my screening every day. The exception would be if there's an anomaly to the previous exam results - like if the kid had poor vision and got glasses....I want to make sure the kid still has the glasses.

2 doesn't apply because we have no physical requirement.

3. I only screen those new to the district (in high school) which is a district requirement. The elementary and middle schools do send the opt-out notes and simply document the parents who decline the screening.

[Amethya]

1) I'm trying a new way this year, hopefully it goes well. I'll go during PE and Specials time. I'm planning to do the older grades first, and then 1st and Kinder by myself. I have this free program do it for two days. I rather do all my grades I need to do than taking longer weeding out the ones that don't need it.

2) I only do it if when I do my AN check, I see neck lines.

3) I notify in two ways, one is a letter I send the mandated grades, and by our friday mail.