Barriers to Seizure Management in Schools: Perceptions of School Nurses. (December 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Terry, Debbie; Patel, Anup D.; Cohen, Daniel M.; Scherzer, Daniel; Kline, Jennifer
• Is Part Of: Journal of child neurology. Volume 31:Number 14(2016:Dec.)
• Page Start: 1602
• Page End: 1606
• Publication Date: 2016-12
• Subjects: children -- school -- nurse -- seizure rescue medication -- epilepsy; Nervous system -- Diseases -- Periodicals; 618.928
• DOI: 10.1177/0883073816666738
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0883-0738

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess school nurses' perceptions of barriers to optimal management of seizures in schools. Eighty-three school nurses completed an electronic survey. Most agreed they felt confident they could identify a seizure (97.6%), give rectal diazepam (83.8%), and handle cluster seizures (67.1%), but fewer were confident they could give intranasal midazolam (63.3%), had specific information about a student's seizures (56.6%), or could swipe a vagus nerve stimulator magnet (47.4%). Nurses were more likely to be available at the time of a seizure in rural (17/20) (85%) versus suburban (21/34) (62%) or urban (8/25) (32%) schools ( P = .001). School nurses are comfortable managing seizures in the school setting. However, a specific seizure plan for each child and education on intranasal midazolam and vagus nerve stimulator magnet use are needed. A barrier in urban schools is decreased availability of a nurse to identify seizures and administer treatment.