Actions for the School Nurse
School-based Asthma Management Program (SAMPRO™) and Toolkit
The goal of SAMPRO™ is to improve health and school-related outcomes for children with asthma, using school-based partnerships that focus on integrated care coordination amongst families, clinicians and school nurses. SAMPRO™ advocates four components to integrate schools, and specifically school nurses, within the asthma care team:
- The creation of a Circle of Support amongst the families, clinicians and schools nurses centered around the child with asthma;
- The creation and transmission of Asthma Management Plans to schools,
- A comprehensive Asthma Education Plan for school personnel; and
- A comprehensive Environmental Asthma Plan to assess and remediate asthma triggers at home and in school.
For schools/settings where a nurse is not available
National Assoc. of School Nurses has asthma resources available to any school or school nurse
Assist with the administration of medication in accordance with school policy, making sure medication is administered in a timely fashion
Michigan’s law that allows students to carry their quick-relief inhalers with them at school, for use in preventing or treating asthma symptoms, if permission is given by the doctor and parent.
Monitor response to treatment using a peak flow meter, if possible.
Communicate with parents about acute episodes, if any, and about the student’s general progress in controlling asthma at school.
Conduct inservices on asthma, and consult with staff to help develop appropriate school activities for students with asthma.
Collaborate with the PTA to offer a family asthma education program after school hours. Consult asthma organizations, including your local asthma coalition and the American Lung Association of Michigan for assistance in setting up this program.
Additional links that may be useful to you
- Michigan Association of School Nurses (MASN) – Includes suggested school action plans, and position papers on administration of medications in schools and the delegation of school health services to unlicensed staff.
- Michigan Model Policy for Supporting Students with Asthma in Schools (2022)
- Schools and Asthma Page