Date of Conferral

2020

Degree

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

School

Nursing

Advisor

Deborah Lewis

Abstract

The American Academy of Pediatrics and the Institute of Medicine recommend school health screening programs to detect problems that might interfere with a student’s education and general well-being, and many U.S. states require compliance with enrollment requirements such as updated immunizations and physical exams prior to attendance. In low-income areas, however, there is often a shortage of physicians available to meet the healthcare needs of the population. Family nurse practitioners (FNPs) can be utilized in school health settings to deliver health care services that support school attendance and the well-being of school students, yet little is known about their impact. The purpose of this systematic review of the literature was to understand the current evidence supporting FNP utilization within school environments. Nola Pender’s health promotion model informed the design of this project. The revised Standards for Quality Improvement Reporting Excellence (SQUIRE 2.0) was used to guide the review of identified literature. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) flow diagram was used to document the included studies while Melnyk and Fineout-Overholt’s levels of evidence was used to grade the evidence. Only 6 journal articles met the project’s inclusion requirements. These articles described the positive impact of FNPs on the health and social determinants of health for the school population. The DNP project supports social change by highlighting how FNPs within school environments can meet the medical needs of underserved populations by providing up-to-date medical services such as vaccines and physical exams on a routine basis.

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