Removing Student Access Barriers: An Intervention to Reduce Medical Exclusion for Students Without Physical Examinations

Abstract

High school freshman students without documentation of physical examinations and/or vaccination are excluded from school by state-mandated health requirements. With social determinants impacting student medical compliance, school nurses lack evidence-based interventions to reduce medical exclusion. This quality improvement project aims to reduce medical exclusion at the project site by 25% from the previous year by focusing on meeting the freshman physical examination requirement. A three-pronged PDSA cycle evaluates each program intervention [resource guides, phone calls, temporary health clinic] in reducing medical exclusion. After the distribution of two resource guides, 93 personalized phone calls were made to families with missing health documentation. On the first day of school, 28 freshmen remained out of medical compliance. The temporary on-site health clinic provided physical examinations to 13 of the 28 students. Through a systematic approach operationalizing community partnerships, school nurses can reduce barriers to achieving medical compliance and support student agencies in accessing healthcare.