title: Increasing availability to and ascertaining value of asthma action plans in schools through use of technology and community collaboration.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Approximately 9% of school-aged children in the United States have asthma. Since 1997, the Asthma Action Plan (AAP) has been recommended as an asthma self-management tool for individuals with asthma. In the school setting, the use of the AAP has been primarily dependent on communication between the family and the school through a paper process.
  
  
  METHODS
  To address the limited availability of AAPs, the Southeast Minnesota Beacon Project developed and implemented a secure portal designed for the electronic exchange of the AAP between providers and schools. This project was designed to assess school nurses' responses to the portal and the perceived value of AAPs, efficiency, self-efficacy, and project impact.
  
  
  RESULTS
  School nurses perceive that the AAP enables more efficient management of the care of students with asthma and increases school nurse self-efficacy in regard to asthma management. Overall, school nurses felt the AAP portal was useful and they reported satisfaction with its function as a school health office resource.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Electronic sharing of the AAP has the potential to increase efficiency and enhance effective communication among health care providers, families, and schools.
authors.affiliation: Licensed School Nurse, (hanson65@charter.net), Rochester Public Schools, 334 16th St. SE, Rochester, MN 55904.
authors.forename: Tabitha K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Hanson
authors.forename: Martha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aleman
authors.forename: Lacey
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hart
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yawn
mesh_terms: D001249:Asthma / Q000628:therapy*; D003142:Communication; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D019468:Disease Management; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D012572:School Health Services; D012573:School Nursing; D012648:Self Care; D012649:Self Concept; D014481:United States
keywords: asthma; asthma action plan; health communication; school nurses