Diabetes management at school: application of the healthy learner model

Abstract

Every child with diabetes deserves a school nurse with the capacity to effectively manage the disease at school. The school nurse needs knowledge and skills to confidently provide care and communicate with health care providers and families. The Healthy Learner Model for Chronic Condition Management provided a framework to eliminate the disjointed approach to diabetes management at school, replacing it with a consistent, evidence-based approach. A diabetes resource nurse was a key component, providing support for the school nurse and collaboration between the school, community, family, and health care providers. Funded by a cooperative agreement from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) chose five sites from across the country to implement this program-a project titled Managing and Preventing Diabetes and Weight Gain (MAP). This article describes the experience of two sites.