The Student Health Collaboration

Abstract

Students, families, school staff, and school nurses all benefit from successful community partnerships. School nurses requested improved communication with local clinicians and access to the health information of their students. School nurses were not routinely recognized as part of the care team and therefore were not able to access protected health information found in the medical record, which would improve health outcomes for their students. With a goal of improving student health outcomes, a local pediatric health care delivery system partnered with school nurses to share student health information. School nurses were included as part of the health care team, with access to electronic health records. This is an innovative coordinated care team approach with parents, nurses, and community clinicians able to communicate, plan, intervene, and evaluate student health.