Annual Health Updates

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Specializes in ED, School Nurse.

At the end of last year, I (along with input from the other nurses in my district) created an annual health update form for parents to fill out. Currently, there are 3 blank lines on the emergency card that is filled out each year by parents that comprises our yearly health update. One line for current medical conditions, one line for allergies, and one line for medications. There is also a box to check if student has an inhaler, epi-pen or insulin pump.

We are lucky if the parents fill out any or part of that section. Or they state the child has no health conditions, but then list 5 medications the child is on. Or they just check inhaler, with no other information.

My/our intent with creating this new form was to ask for more detailed health information in a check box form to make it easier for parents to fill out.

I also included a permission to medicate with OTC meds per standing orders (old form for this was confusing) and a release to communicate with student's medical providers which will be great to have all on one piece of paper, instead of 3 separate forms as it is now.

The form went before the administrators in our district at the end of the last school year and was "shot down". Apparently they did not like that we asked a question about mental health (probably what we deal with the MOST) and needed to review whether we could do this with the school district lawyers.

They also want some clarification as to what current health update forms this new form will replace, which I completely understand.

We do not require annual physicals in our state unless the student play sports and then you only need one in 7th and 9th grade.

I'm curious what other school in other states do. Do you have annual health update forms that parents fill out? Are they required by state/school district? Do you ask about mental health diagnoses?

How do you manage them during emergencies? I think the thought was to include the health update section on our emergency cards because they leave the building with us in an emergency.

Thanks ahead for your time and input.

Specializes in IMC, school nursing.

This is a universal problem. I begged in front of 80% of our parents to be transparent for both conditions and meds, explaining that med reactions are not on my radar if there is a problem if no meds are listed. One girl I know is on meds and has history is a blank page. I think parents are afraid of their own prejudices when it comes to diagnosis and meds. I truly wish they would put their child's safety before their pride.

Specializes in Telemetry, Gastroenterology, School Nrs.

We use a Health History (front and back) form in all 4 of our schools (K-12), that asks for a little more detailed information than what we normally get on those grey emergency cards. I haven't had any kick-back from them, and we have been using them for about 4 years now. They go home with the students on the first day of school, as a part of the novel that needs to be completed and returned. My Superintendent and all of the administrators were on board with this form, when we adopted it, simply because it helped us deal with individual student needs. The options are a little vague yet I can follow-up with parents if there is something I feel I might need a bit more information on. Parents tend to forget some pretty pertinent info when filling out the emergency card, for some reason.

Here is what I came up with:

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Specializes in Telemetry, Gastroenterology, School Nrs.

Sorry those images came out so BIG!

Our health history cards are pretty comprehensive. The state dictates what needs to be on them, and we can add more as needed. They are on the back of the emergency information. We do ask about mental illness on the cards.

But, big but, parents really don't like filling them out no matter what you put or how you ask is what I'm learning. I have lots of space to write and lots of check boxes, and get almost no information. It's frustrating.

Specializes in School nurse.

Some parents completely ignore the form I send and the doctor simply states that the child was seen. smh

Specializes in kids.

My AHU is tied to OTC meds and emergency treatment form...so It behooves the parents to fill it out and return it. I am waiting on 5

Specializes in School nursing.

I send home a new emergency card every year. I have a stack of blank ones ready to go out for the hundreds of families that did not return one. It includes update contact info, health history, and OTC permission. It is back and front and as streamlined as I can get it.

I don't gave out any med without it, it includes OTC permission on it. It is a battle, but the school supports me.

Usually by October, I have gotten 90% of them back. What parents leave out, well...upward battle.

I do have a line that asks "Is there any information about your child's physical or emotional status to help us make their education more productive?" :)

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