Supporting Students with Special Health Care Needs quiz

E. None of the above. With careful planning, training, and health services support, none of the above conditions alone should preclude students from attending their local public school.

With technological advances and appropriate support systems in place, an increasing number of children and youth with complex medical conditions are attending schools in their home communities.

Educators, school staff, and family members are in a position to develop school programs that provide students with an educational experience that addresses the academic, social, emotional, and vocational needs of the child while ensuring all special health care needs are met.

C. Replacement of cochlear implants. IDEA specifically excludes implantation or replacement of surgical devices, such as cochlear implants.

Schools are not expected to provide medical services; however, school health and nurse services are included in IDEA's definition of "related services" that a school must provide as a component of a child's FAPE (free and appropriate education).

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that school health services

• must be provided if they can be performed by a nurse or other qualified person (not if they must be performed by a physician)
• if the service must be provided during the school day, and
• if the service will not prove unduly expensive for the school

A. There is no national staffing standard. Although school nurses are vital to all aspects of care and service delivery for children with specialized health needs, school nurses are not available in all schools. More than 50% of public schools in the United States do not have a full-time registered nurse.

The safe and appropriate management of care for children with complex medical conditions requires careful assessment and individualized health care planning by a registered nurse.

The National Association of School Nurses recommends that school districts provide at least one full-time school nurse in every school building with variation depending on the needs of student populations. The ratios listed above are minimum ratio recommendations by the association.

D. School nurses do not formally provide respite care for the family, but they do play a vital role in reassuring families of their child's safety in school.

E. All of the above. Most school districts utilize multiple sources to fund or supplement their costs.

In addition to the sources listed, districts have found

• local funding
• special state-designated funds
• state-funded grants (school reform, educational enhancement, systems change, specialized taxes), and
• support from local philanthropic organizations or foundations

D. Although very important, the transition plan is not part of the IHCP. The IHCP can be a part of the student's transition plan.

Other elements of the IHCP include

• brief health history
• baseline health status
• comprehensive review of medications
• self-care
• problem list/nursing diagnosis
• desired outcomes
• interventions
• provider and contact information
• training and documentation
• implementation and awareness

A critical element of the individualized health care plan is training; see this guidance on training as part of the IHCP from Supporting Students with Special Health Care Needs.

B. The administrator will have to examine his or her own personal responses. To be successful, administrators must have the support of the district, but they must also examine their own attitudes about the inclusion of students with complex health care needs.

School administrators set the tone for inclusion of students with special health care needs and have the overall responsibility for all aspects of their participation in school.

They are in key positions to influence the educational services decisions, placement, and health care that students will receive.

E. All of the above. Other additional challenges may include

• less time for classes/studying
• personal concerns about acceptance and understanding of peers
• issues with self-image, -esteem, -confidence

E. All of the above. You can also help a student with special health care needs be successful by making physical adaptations to the environment to make it fully accessible and creating an area for the student to rest, keep supplies, or use an accessible bathroom or changing table.

A. It's better NOT to discourage children from asking questions. Children are naturally curious and will have questions about their classmate, especially if their medical technology or physical condition is visually obvious. Unanswered, these questions can lead to misunderstanding, anxiety, or even fear. If a child is able to communicate, giving him or her the words to use will be helpful for answering other children's questions (My G tube helps me eat).

In the case of a medical emergency, have a plan for the student and also one for the class. Depending on the situation, this can be as simple as having a staff member explain that the student "needs some privacy," or it could mean that someone needs to take the class quickly and quietly to another room. Also plan to talk to the class afterward, as appropriate.