Institute Promotes Holistic Approach to School Nursing

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - School nurses from throughout Arkansas have come to rely on the School Nurse Summer Institute for yearly professional development and networking. Now in its fourth year, the institute has registered 61 nurses for three days of workshops on the theme of "Expanding Your Career in School Health: New Directions for Your Future."

Organized by the University of Arkansas Eleanor Mann School of Nursing, in conjunction with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Area Health Education Center Northwest, the institute will be held from 7:45 a.m. to 3 p.m., August 4-6 at the AHEC Northwest Education Center, 2855 E. Joyce Blvd.

"With a focus on career development for school nurses, we chose speakers and topics based on a holistic view of the profession, which is much the same way school nurses understand children, families and communities," said organizer Kathleen Barta, associate professor in the Mann School. In Barta's view, school nurses are "powerful role models and advocates for children and families in their districts."

She explained that the multidimensional model used includes physical, emotional, spiritual, social and intellectual factors. As an example, Barta noted that in the past year, school nurses offered professional guidance to the efforts to alleviate childhood obesity through the collection of baseline body mass index data. Because school nurses typically look at multiple factors affecting children, families and the community, they were able to advise how best to obtain valid, reliable data while respecting the privacy needs of children in order to provide families with useful information.

Each morning, the institute will feature a career-building workshop conducted by Barta and co-organizer Marianne Neighbors, professor in the Mann School. They also will offer sessions on developing personal action plans.

"The work of school nurses is influenced by national, state and local pressures. We hope participants will use the summer institute for self-reflection, goal setting and commitment to the next stage of their careers. We will encourage them to find a balance among the five dimensions-- physical, emotional, spiritual, social and intellectual," Barta said.

Workshops will also offer participants an opportunity to refresh time management skills with Darlene Cheatham, nurse with the Area Health Education Center Northwest, and data management procedures with Linda Wilkins, school nurse for Shiloh Christian School. Beth Irwin, counselor with Family Medical Center, will look at emotional well-being for nurses.

Ed Mink, director of health promotion with the University of Arkansas Health Center, will offer tips on assertive communication and maintaining physical well-being. Other workshops include presentations on Cultural Influences on Professional Practice by Nellie Cordova of Northwest Family Medical Center and on spiritual well being by Mary Alice Kelly of Circle of Life Hospice.

The overall goal of the School Nurse Summer Institute, Barta explained, is "to encourage leadership by school nurses in their districts." Given the number of school nurses who return each year and the overwhelmingly positive evaluations organizers collect from participants, she is confident that the institute is "uniquely meeting the needs of school nurses to network with each other and to develop as health care professionals."