Empowering School Nurses with Essential Asthma Education Tools
"Asthma in a Minute" provides efficient tools to deliver key asthma self-management lessons in brief, impactful sessions.
"Asthma in a Minute" provides efficient tools to deliver key asthma self-management lessons in brief, impactful sessions.
Our toolkit addresses the critical need for efficient asthma education in busy school environments
Deliver key asthma education in brief 1-5 minute sessions that fit seamlessly into school schedules without disrupting learning.
Tools derived from NHLBI guidelines and EPR-3 standards, ensuring scientifically validated asthma management techniques.
Complete toolkit with lesson plans, assessment tools, visual aids, and tracking systems for seamless implementation.
Learn about the purpose, goals, and impact of our comprehensive asthma education toolkit
School nurses recognize asthma as one of the most prevalent chronic health conditions affecting students. Self-management of asthma is of primary concern for young adolescent students as they transition from elementary years through middle school to high school and beyond.
As responsibility shifts from parents to students, the need for effective asthma education is evident. This project targets middle school populations. While asthma education resources are plentiful, the challenge for most school nurses is finding enough time to teach.
Asthma affects approximately 1 in 12 children in the U.S., making it one of the most common chronic conditions among youth. Effective asthma management in schools is crucial for student health and academic success.
This project empowers school nurses to systematically capture brief increments of time (typically 1-5 minutes) to deliver key messages as outlined by leading asthma experts (NHLBI, 2007b).
The nationally recognized guidelines for asthma care (EPR-3) should be familiar to all school nurses as the "gold standard" of care. Asthma in a Minute provides:
The Expert Panel Report 3 (EPR-3) provides comprehensive guidelines for the diagnosis and management of asthma. It emphasizes a stepwise approach to care based on asthma severity and control.
Asthma in a Minute was created as an Independent Learning Project for the Cambridge College School Nursing Master's program in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Originally implemented with 6th grade students at LaSalle Springs Middle School in Wildwood, Missouri, school nurses are encouraged to use this toolkit as a starting point.
For further information or to share experiences, contact the author: Dottie Bardon at bardondorothy@rsdmo.org.
Comprehensive digital resources designed for modern school health programs
Print the Airflow Chart and Checklist two-sided on cardstock. Print the "key cards" as brightly colored cards, hole-punched in one corner.
Give each student a carabineer keyring. As you teach a topic, the student can add the card to the ring. Copy the Airflow Record and Checklist to share with parents and PCPs.
Track your progress in teaching key asthma concepts:
Monitor and track student airflow readings with our interactive tool:
Visual aids to reinforce key asthma education points:
Detailed lesson plans for each asthma management topic
Detailed information about asthma medications and proper usage techniques.
Information about identifying and managing asthma triggers.
Guidance on creating and implementing asthma action plans.
Essential asthma education videos to support your teaching
Understanding asthma and how it affects the respiratory system
How to effectively use peak flow meters for asthma management
Proper use of rescue medications for asthma symptoms
Understanding and using controller medications effectively
Identifying and avoiding common asthma triggers in daily life
Managing asthma during physical activities and sports
Creating and implementing effective asthma action plans
Have questions or want to share your experience? Get in touch!