Medication Management in Primary and Secondary Schools: Evaluation of Mental Health Related In-Service Education in Local Schools

Abstract

An increasing number of students are taking medications while they are in school or are under the influence of medication during school hours. In a novel effort, clinical pharmacists and mental health therapists worked together to provide "mini-in-service" educational programs on psychological disorders and medications used to treat these disorders. The purpose of this study was to implement and evaluate the effectiveness of these educational programs presented to school nurses, teachers, school administrators, and other personnel. The study compared participant responses before and after attending a medication in-service session on a psychological disorder and its related medications. Results indicated that in-service education on attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and depression improved the knowledge and confidence levels of school personnel regarding medications and symptoms. Feedback indicated school personnel wanted longer educational sessions and more information on these disorders and treatments. School nurses working with health professionals can improve education for staff, families, and students about mental health disorders and their treatment.

Supporting Student Mental Health: The Role of the School Nurse in Coordinated School Mental Health Care

“…Although findings highlight the potential benefits of professional development targeting the mental health competencies of school nurses, they lack several characteristics that would support their uptake, generalizability, and impact. Namely, most programs consist of educational training on a specific subject (e.g., suicide prevention) and lack training on common practice elements that would allow nurses to apply their skills more broadly (Bullock et al., ; Clark et al., ; Delaney, & Belmonte‐Mann, ; Reutzel et al., ). In addition, most programs do not include implementation support to help school nurses use the skills they have learned, nor do they provide access to mental health professionals who can be consulted in the event of acute mental health needs or complex clinical presentations.…”

Gender and Content Influence Second-Level Students’ Expectations of Health Education Seminars Provided in a Health Promoting Hospital Setting

“…Accordingly, evidence-based evaluations, which assess impact, process and outcome from the intervention, are important. Examples from the literature are various, dating from early efforts to reach young people on AIDS prevention (5;11), sun protection (2;12) and fruit and vegetable promotions (13), alcohol (14;15) and exercise programmes (16) and specifi c medical interventions around medication consumption (17), or organ donation cards (18;19). St Vincent's University Hospital is a large general teaching hospital in Dublin.…”

Nurse‐delivered and doctor‐delivered care in an attention deficit hyperactivity disorder follow‐up clinic: a comparative study using propensity score matching

“…Nurses report confidence in diagnosis and assessment of ADHD, and may follow guidance more closely than paediatricians or family doctors (Vlam 2006). Nurses may improve knowledge and interest in ADHD in schools (Reutzel et al. 2008) and families (Odom 1996).…”

“…Nurses report confidence in diagnosis and assessment of ADHD, and may follow guidance more closely than paediatricians or family doctors (Vlam 2006). Nurses may improve knowledge and interest in ADHD in schools (Reutzel et al 2008) and families (Odom 1996). Nurses have also taken responsibility for everyday dispensing of prescribed medicine for ADHD in schools, even as the medication regimes become more complex (McCarthy et al 2006).…”