Page 25 - MMP-N-NJ CCN 21st Century School Nurse Leadership Book

2. Form a powerful guiding coalition.

• Who are my partners? Establish your team and get buy-in for the project. These are individuals
with shared commitment and power to lead. For this example, the individuals would be
school district administrators, principals, office support staff, parents, local community health
organizations, child advocacy groups, chronic disease organizations.

3. Create a vision.

• Use SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic/Relevant and Time Bound
Goals) to develop performance and measurable objectives and outcomes. The who, what,
where, when, why. See Appendix B for SMART goals development template.
• Deming’s Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle, a four step model for carrying out change
• (https://healthit.ahrq.gov/health-it-tools-and-resources/evaluation-resources/workflow-
assessment-health-it-toolkit/all-workflow-tools/plan-do-check-act-cycle#h=plan-do-check-
act)
• Include as part of annual professional development goals, or Student Growth Objectives
(SGOs).

4. Communicate the vision.

• Use every avenue/vehicle possible to communicate: PTA meetings, Robocalls, flyers,
student poster contest, school nurse and district website, school newsletters, professional
organizations.

5. Empower others to act on the vision.

Remove or alter systems or structures undermining the vision.
• Will I need any policy changes? For example, changes in how and to whom reporting of
student absences?
• Collaborate with school and community partners.
• Enlist the help of parent supporters/champions.
• Create interest/buy-in that supports school attendance.

6. Plan for and create short-term wins.

Define and set a visible performance improvement.
• Set a date early in the initiative that creates excitement. Example: A new process was
created between the main office and the school nurse office to document absences and
record reasons for absence. Calls to those who did not specify a reason were made. Two
students with asthma were absent and it was discovered the parents did not know the
students could have their nebulizer treatments at school. The students brought their
medication and were in school, decreasing potential for illness-related absences that can
be successfully managed in school with the school nurse.

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