Paper
Friday, July 13, 2007
Evidence for School Nurse Role as Navigator to Prevent Obesity
Ruth C. McGillis Bindler, RNC, PhD1, Fiona Brooks, BA, PhD2, Margaret A. Bruya, DNSc, ARNP, FAAN1, and Sally Kendall, RN, PhD2. (1) College of Nursing, Washington State University, Spokane, WA, USA, (2) Centre for Research in Primary and Community Care, University of Hertfordshire, Herts, England
| Learning Objective #1: examine evidence for school-based interventions to prevent obesity among youth. |
| Learning Objective #2: apply an expanded role for the school nurse to act as navigator for the child's school health journey. |
This submission focuses on evidence-based implications for public policy, specifically related to school nurse roles in obesity prevention. Obesity is a leading public health emergency; worldwide, 300 million people are obese, 1.1 billion are overweight. Among youngest members of society, 17.6 million children under 5 years are overweight, and more than 1/10 children are overweight.
Evidence confirms that school-based interventions are highly effective in delivering health promotion and preventing disease. Studies have identified successful interventions in school settings regarding nutrition, physical activity, sedentary behavior, family health practices, self concept, and informed decision-making. Reviews of best practice conclude that schools are a critical setting for analysis and intervention to lower obesity rates in children.
The school nurse is a key professional responsible for addressing the health needs of children within the contexts of individual, family, school, and community. By combining clinical knowledge specific to the school age population with an understanding of the social determinants of health, school nurses have expertise to provide comprehensive responses to complex health needs, such as obesity prevention. However, while the school nurse is well-positioned to manage obesity prevention programs, there is little development of that role.
This interdisciplinary and international team of presenters propose a role for the school nurse as navigator of the child’s school health journey. The health navigator role represents integration of a complex set of services, including coordination of care, information, decision-making, and self-care. Further, school nurses can function across systems to remove barriers and promote access to services. This multi-system, holistic aspect of navigation is directly in line with the definition of the school nurse as a public health specialist, with expertise and responsibilities that traverse the contexts of the child. This presentation examines the school nurse as health navigator for children to decrease rates of obesity among the young.