Physical Assessment for the School Nurse

Catalog description

This course builds upon the basic assessment skills of the nurse. It is designed to augment, refine and enhance the nurses' ability to assess the health status of individuals commonly encountered in the school setting from age 3 to adult. It assists students to recognize abnormal findings, evaluate responses to illness, and to identify health risks. This course will enable the school nurse to collect a comprehensive health history and perform a comprehensive physical examination on the target age group commonly encountered in the school setting. Course content will emphasize a holistic approach towards assessment incorporating the client's resonse to wellness and illness will be used by the student to uncover client health clues in addition to those identified by questioning and examining. The school nurses' skill in assessing a client's individual resources, strengths, limitations and coping behaviors will be intensified. Attention to incorporation of current evidence and population health data available through public and private datasets to identify, assess and intervene with population specific risk areas. Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.