Date of Completion
5-12-2022
Document Type
Open Access Project
Degree Name
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Faculty Advisor
Dr. Eileen Stuart-Shor, PhD, ANP-BC, FAHA, FAAN
Site Advisor
Carol Zichella, MSN, RN
Abstract
Introduction: School-aged children with allergies is a growing population. Allergies are a leading cause of chronic illnesses, are costly to the healthcare system, and can result in death. Allergic reactions in schools negatively impact student outcomes. The sites for this improvement project were four urban, public schools in Suffolk County, Massachusetts that did not have standardized school personnel allergy education.
Methods: The project took place in four, urban public schools in Suffolk County, Massachusetts. The four schools are comprised of three middle schools and one high school serving over 1,400 students. Over 240 teachers and supporting staff members provide instruction and guidance to students in grades 5th through 12th. The project implemented an asynchronous, web-based, allergy management education module. The school nurses administered the improvement intervention, and the process was directed and monitored by a nurse practitioner in 2021.
Results: The output measures included data from pre- and post-intervention surveys to assess change in school personnel allergy management knowledge and self-efficacy, as well as participation rate, and perceived satisfaction and ease of use. Of the 246 teachers in the four schools, 109 (44%) completed the post-educational survey; the majority were women (82%). Overall, 94% of participants reported satisfaction with the module. Pre/post measures of allergy management knowledge and self-efficacy demonstrated 28% improvement.
Summary and Recommendations: This allergy education initiative improved staff knowledge and self-efficacy. It was time- and cost-effective, web-based, and was saved to a shared drive. The allergy management education module has the potential to be sustainable and can be replicated at other schools in the district with the capability to be implemented annually. Recommendations include annual education, raising individual accountability to increase participation, and scaling to additional schools.
Recommended Citation
Monzione, Sabrina, "Increasing School Personnel Knowledge and Self-efficacy of Allergy Management" (2022). Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects. 25.
https://scholarworks.umb.edu/nursing_dnp_capstone/25