Implications
The results of this study clearly indicate that our elementary schools may not be prepared to provide for the needs of children with asthma at the present time and that prior education or exposure to asthma may increase a teachers general asthma knowledge. The results also reinforce that the concerns reported by the teachers are legitimate. The safety of children depends upon the knowledge of the teachers and school personnel and their ability to recognize early signs of respiratory distress and act appropriately. It is essential that we educate teachers and school personnel to protect the health and assure the safety of children while in the classroom. With the increasing number of children with asthma and the shortage or absence of school nurses on site, the responsibility of monitoring and managing the health care needs of children with asthma ultimately falls upon the teachers and school personnel who interact with the children throughout the school day. Studies repeatedly document reports of teacher concern and anxiety related to their ability to manage a child with asthma or an acute asthma attack in the classroom. The majority of these teachers feel that training on chronic childhood diseases such as asthma would be beneficial in allaying some of their anxiety as well as providing students with a safe environment in which they can focus on education.
It is recommended that school districts listen to these concerns and address the needs of their staff by instituting a mandatory teacher training/certification on common chronic illnesses in children to be completed annually by elementary school teachers. This training could be included in teacher in-service or stall development days. Ideally, the school nurses could partner with pediatric nurses from the community to develop the curriculum and lead training sessions as a means to increase teacher knowledge. Additional community resources may be available to assist school districts and nurses in offering such training sessions on chronic illnesses and their management. These resources might include physicians, pediatricians, and pediatric nurses from the community; pediatric nurse practitioners and physician assistants; respiratory therapists; and associations such as the American Lung Association, Many of these resources may offer training and educational materials at no charge to the school district.