Teaching Pack for School Nurses to Deliver in Schools

Teaching Pack for School Nurses to Deliver in Schools

Asthma

Core Contents

1.  Guideline for the management of Asthma in the school setting including the role of community child health and nursing services (identify responsibilities of organisations and individuals). Include information about prevalence and incidence of condition.

2.  Blank Template - individual child health care plan and how this is used.

3.  Reference to council documents to record administration of medicines, supplies of medicines, safe storage and handling of medicines, information for parents etc

4.  Voluntary agency leaflets

http://www.asthma.org.uk/scotland/index.html

5.  Placebo inhaler devices, spacer devices, peak flow meter and mouthpieces, in-check dial if available for teachers to try, straws

Information leaflets on how to use devices available for download from http://www.ginasthma.com/OtherResourcesItem.asp?l1=2&l2=3&intId=30

6.  Case studies and suggested answers

There are 390,000 people in Scotland currently receiving treatment for asthma. Of these, 100,000 (1 in 9 of the total population) are children and 290,000 (1 in 15 of the total population) are adults. 197,000 people in Scotland have severe asthma symptoms.

Exercise - to demonstrate what it feels like to have asthma. Advise any people with asthma not to take part in this exercise.

1.Pinch your nose and breathe in and out using a straw for 1 minute

2. How does this feel?

Interview with asthma patient

What is asthma like?

Klara is 16 years old and is studying for her GCSE's. This interview with her will give you some idea of what it's like to have asthma.

How long have you had asthma?

I had my first asthma attack when I was 4, my mum thought I had a chest infection, I was coughing so much, so she took me to the doctor. I've had it ever since then.

What does it feel like to have an asthma attack?

My chest feels tight and it is difficult to breathe. You never get used to that breathless feeling and I sometimes start to panic. When that happens I know I have to use my inhaler straight away.

What does the inhaler do?

It helps me breathe more easily. During an attack the airways in the lung narrow making it difficult to take a breath, the inhaler relaxes them, and I can breathe more easily.

What would happen if you didn't use your inhaler?

That's happened to me once. I'd left my inhaler in the changing room when we were doing PE on the field. I felt breathless and really panicky. I couldn't go back to get it from the changing room as I felt so shaky.

What happened then?

The teacher made me sit, calm down and take regular deep breaths. I had started to feel quite light headed, like I was going to faint. My friend got my inhaler and after I had taken it I started to feel better.

Are there any things that trigger an attack?

With me it seems to be when it is cold weather, especially when I have been running. With other people it can be pollen, cigarette smoke or deodorant aerosols. I know someone who gets attacks when she gets stressed out. Loads of different things can trigger them, you have to learn to avoid what causes them, or make sure you use your inhaler first.

Do you take anything to stop you getting attacks?

I have another inhaler, a brown, steroid one, which I have to use every day. It's called a 'preventer' it stops things irritating my lungs and triggering an attack.

How big a problem is your asthma?

I'm lucky, my asthma is quite mild, some people I know have to have regular check ups and sometimes even have to go into hospital. So long as I recognise the first signs of an attack and use my inhaler then, I am usually OK.

Ref http://www.abpischools.org.uk/resource/resource.asp?id=17

True or False

1.  People can't overdose on asthma medication

2.  If a child is having an asthma attack it's better to give someone else's medicine than none at all

3.  Having asthma should not normally limit the level of sporting achievement of the child

4.  Pollen, pet hairs and stress can trigger asthma

5.  Children with asthma should have immediate access to their reliever medication at all times

Case Study 1 (Change age as necessary for pre-school, primary or secondary age)

Jo is 6 years old and has recently been diagnosed with asthma. Her mother has contacted her class teacher to tell her that Jo has a preventer inhaler and spacer device which she must have with her at all times. Jo knows how to use the inhaler and her mum wants her to carry it with her.

a.  What does the teacher need to do now?

b.  What information does the school need?

c.  What arrangements does the school need to make?

d.  Anything Else?

Case Study 2 (Change age as necessary for pre-school, primary or secondary age)

Jack has an asthma attack on the PE field. Unfortunately his inhaler is in the changing room in his PE bag. His friends know that something is wrong and call to the teacher who is on duty.

a. If this was to happen in your school - what do you think would happen?

b. What should happen?

c.  What needs to be done differently in your school?

A MacRobbie November 2007