High School Coordinated Health (9-12)

School Nurse Participation Plan

 

The school nurse at each campus is encouraged to visit the classrooms using the Healthy and Wise High School Coordinated Health Program to provide additional information on some of the units featured topics. 

 

Suggested High School Units and Lessons for School Nurse Participation Include:

 

Unit 1 (Personal Fitness)

·         Eating for Sports and Physical Activity

 

Proper hydration during vigorous physical activity is critical, especially during the months of August and September when temperatures can be very hot.  Visit with PE teachers, coaches, and students on the symptoms and dangers of dehydration. 

 

Unit 2 (Nutrition and Health)

 

This is a good lesson to use with students that are struggling with their weight or who have eating behaviors that are out of control. Take time to visit with “at risk” students one on one and help them understand these concepts by using real world and possibly visual examples.

 

Unit 3 (Body Systems)

·         The Importance of Diet and Exercise

 

Support this Healthy and Wise lesson by visiting the health and PE classrooms and offering more facts and statistics on the increase in childhood and adolescent obesity.  Reinforce the health conditions associated with being overweight and obese, and guide students’ thinking towards improving their physical activity levels and eating behaviors. Eating disorders are addressed during this Healthy and Wise unit.  Visit with your campus staff to identify any students that might be exhibiting signs of an eating disorder.  Counsel with students individually and refer students to appropriate health professionals. 

 

Help support the lesson on preventive medicine by visiting with the classes and discussing the concept of “yearly physicals.”  Talk about the many lab tests that can identify early signs of illness and how many of these conditions can be treated before they develop into serious diseases.  Reinforce the preventive measures students can take such as getting regular exercise and eating a healthy diet most of the time.

 

You might want to ask a gynecologist to speak to your health classes on the stages of pregnancy and the importance of prenatal care. Hopefully, a pregnancy is a long way off for your high school students, but these concepts are part of the health curriculum and a physician’s overview and lecture would offer a good community connection.

 

Unit 4 (Growth and Development)

·         Physical Changes during Growth and Development

 

School nurses have many opportunities to participate in this Healthy and Wise unit.  Give teachers additional instructional ideas and offer to actually teach or reinforce one of the lessons.  Plan to visit with girls and boys separately to discuss the physical changes associated with puberty. 

 

Unit 5 – (Avoidance of High Risk Behaviors)

 

Support as many of this unit’s lessons as possible.  Help identify students that might fall in a high-risk category for any of the behaviors addressed in the Healthy and Wise lessons.  Visit the classes this month to support the Healthy and Wise lesson that presents the facts and health dangers associated with anabolic steroids.  Help support this lesson by giving real accounts of how steroids can affect an athlete’s health.  Discuss the legal aspects associated with steroid use.  Help reinforce natural ways to increase muscle and strength by using Healthy and Wise strength training exercises in the Strength, Conditioning, and Wellness program. This Healthy and Wise unit will give the school nurse numerous opportunities to address specific health concerns that some students might be experiencing.  Make sure students know the school, district, or community resources available to them if they are experiencing any form of neglect or abuse.

Unit 6 – (Using Health Information and the Influence of Media and Technology)

 

Visit the classes during this lesson, if possible, to discuss the importance of analyzing health information before acting on it.  Give real world examples to support this concept.  Help students identify the many ways they will access and use health information.  Talk about health insurance, what it is and how it works. 

 

Unit 7 – (Environmental and Social Factors Affecting Health)

 

This would be a good time to discuss with students the importance of wearing sunscreen when planning to be out in the sun. Take this opportunity to promote the social aspects related to physical activity and exercise.  Encourage students to workout together and to plan physical activities rather than dining out as social events.  Make sure students understand the precautions they need to take when exercising outdoors during the summer and winter. Talk about the physical symptoms associated with heat stroke or hypothermia. Support the lesson on World Health by putting up an awareness bulletin board display that highlights several world health issues, concerns, magazine stories, etc.

 

Unit 8 – (Safety)

 

Make sure all students and staff know what to do if an emergency occurs during school hours.  Visit with students during this Healthy and Wise unit about the steps taken at your campus to ensure the safety and health of students and staff.  Give specific examples and provide students opportunities to practice safety drills (fire drills, code blue drills, etc.). 

 

Unit 9 – Social and Mental Health

 

Promote the importance of healthy lifestyle choices as you visit with the classes or with students one on one.  Encourage students who are struggling with their health behaviors to seek more opportunities to include physical activity and good nutrition into their daily lives.