Page 73 - MMP-N-NJ CCN 21st Century School Nurse Leadership Book

IDEA #2: COMPONENT SAMPLE IDEA: RESEARCH
CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL, SCHOOL HEALTH INDEX
COLLECTING COMMUNITY HEALTH DATA: IDENTIFY STRENGTHS AND
WEAKNESSES OF SCHOOL HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICIES AND PROGRAMS

Definition

Definition:“Quality Improvement (QI) is a continuous and systematic process that leads to
measurable improvements and outcomes” (Health Resources and Services Administration
[HRSA], n.d.) “QI and measuring quality are integral parts of healthcare reform and are
current standards of practice” (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality [AHRQ], 2011

Idea:

The School Health Index (SHI) (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2016) is based
on the CDC’s research-based guidelines for school health programs, which identify the
policies and practices most likely to be effective in reducing youth health risk behaviors.
Utilize best practices in research to identify strengths and weaknesses of school and/or
school district health and safety policies and programs. Integrates the Framework for 21st
Century School Nursing Practice™ (NASN, 2016a), and Whole School, Whole Community,
Whole Child Model (Lewallen et al., 2015).

The Story:
School nurse Gert has a goal of implementing healthy lifestyle programs that are evidence-
based and have proven outcomes. There are some programs currently in place – but are
they working? Do the programs target the right areas and individuals for change? How
do I know? Where is that information? How do I access that information? Once I have that
information, what do I do?

Objectives:

• Identify the strengths and weaknesses of school/district policies and programs for promoting
health and safety.
• Develop an action plan for improving student health and safety.
• Involve teachers, parents, students, and the community in improving school policies, programs,
and services.

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