Hearing/Vision Screenings

Eleven011 · Jul 1, 2015

I am new also and would love to hear what everyone else does! Although I know our SLP does hearing screens, I will be doing vision and health screens.

ro2878, ADN, BSN · Jul 1, 2015

We start back to school beginning of August and we perform the screenings in September. You don't want to wait too far into the school year because obviously the purpose for screening is to catch any deficits that would impact learning.

One nurse in the district is the "keeper" of the dates - she emails us in May and we all tell her the date(s) we want. Because each school in my district only has one or two audiometers, we share on screening days so that is why we let one nurse be in charge of all the screening dates - we don't want to have more than one school doing a screening on a given day. (You need around 5 audiometers to make it through the day!).

Everybody tends to keep the date they had the previous year and some schools break screening into 2 separate days if they are a big school.

Once you choose your date, let your school secretary and custodian know. The custodian can help set up rooms/provide extension cords/measure and mark off your 20 ft for vision and put a line of tape down that students stand on when testing. Also, be sure and reserve any rooms (conference room, library, extra classroom) that you may use. You need a very quiet space for hearing and the library or a conference room both work well. Typically, you don't want screenings held in your office because you will be seeing kiddos who come down to the nurse for a complaint. Be sure and email teachers to please only send emergencies or keep less urgent stuff to a minimum. I get enough volunteers that I don't need to do the actual testing - I stay in my office and see kids and oversee screening day.

Let your PTO know the date because they put the word out and get your volunteer parents. You can't do this on your own! (You can but it would likely take up to 2 weeks if you do.) Try to get a parent volunteer to be in charge. I have an awesome parent who organizes my volunteers and the PTO provides and sets up lunch in a conference room. You can also contact nursing schools for student volunteers. The more volunteers you can get, the better!

This is how I set screening day up:

Five volunteers to test hearing (1 volunteer/audiometer) and another volunteer who keeps waiting students lined up (and very quiet!!) outside of the room. As an audiometer/tester becomes available, this volunteer sends next student to be tested.

Five volunteers to test vision (1 volunteer/vision chart and vision charts taped to wall with student standing the recommended 20 ft away). One or two volunteers also in the vision room who keep waiting students lined up and move them along to available testing spots once previous students done.

A few other volunteers that act as "runners". They keep an eye on progress and go get the next class. They go to the classrooms and escort the students down to either the vision test room or the hearing test room. They also keep the students lined up outside of the room and also try to keep the students engaged and quiet!

Of course before test day, you have to schedule the classrooms and advise the teachers of their test times. Keep lunches and recess in mind when scheduling and also keep in mind that you will not be able to please every teacher. My first year, I asked teachers for their preferences but I quickly learned not to do that again. Like I said you will not be able to meet all of their requests. I find it works better if I just make my master schedule and then tell them what time their students are expected and which room to go to. If they don't like the time, sorry but tough! As long as you account for lunch and recess you will be fine. For the one day that testing takes place, the teachers can suck it up! (Most of them don't complain.)

It was only stressful for me the first year because I did not have a parent in charge. Plus, I was new and am Type A and didn't really want to rely on anyone else. Well, learned to get over that! It is much easier with help. I set up all the rooms, coordinated volunteers, went to the grocery store the night before, was up at crack of dawn the morning of and got fresh bagels, etc. There was also the "fear of the unknown" to factor in. I was exhausted! So much easier now.

Sounds crazy and overwhelming and you may be stressed the first time you do it, but I promise you that next year will not be bad.

Good luck!!

3peas · Jul 4, 2015

We do our own screening and do not have help. Each campus has their own audiometers, so that is nice. We start ASAP. I'm in elementary, so I start with my fifth graders because they are familiar with the process and I can get them in and out more quickly. Normally I choose the class and speak to the teacher the day before and ask that she send 4 or 5 students at a time down to me. I will have those students sit in the clinic while I screen them. Once I am finished I will send them back and the teacher will send 4 or 5 more students. Once you get the hang of it it moves pretty quickly. Once I get through fifth grade I work my way down the grades backwards because it gives the babies time to mature and become familiar with school, getting acquainted with me, and hopefully time to learn their letters (for kinder and first).

AdobeRN · Aug 16, 2015

I do the same as 3Peas. Our district does have a "Screen Team" but sometimes it is more trouble to use them, tend to get a ton of rescreens so I would just rather do them myself.

I start 2nd week of school with my 5th graders - I notify the teacher to start sending2 -3 kids at a time, usually I can get thru 1 class per day. I work my way down to the Kinder kids. Takes me usually thru November to finally get to the Kinder kids but that is OK - gives the Kinder kids more time to learn letters, etc.

RatherBHiking, BSN, RN · Aug 17, 2015

We aren't allowed to have non trained volunteers help so if they don't provide nursing students (some years they do and some they don't) then I just do it myself like a class a day until I'm done.

Windchaser22 · Aug 20, 2015

As early as possible. Flu season moves into allergy season and you'll get a lot of false positives and re-do's with the hearing screen.