Page 46 - MMP-N-NJ CCN 21st Century School Nurse Leadership Book

6. Plan for and create short-term wins.

Define and set a visible performance improvement.
• Set a date early in the initiative that creates excitement. Example: 88 parents attended
a FAQ session on substance abuse. Parents reported that starting a conversation about
substance abuse with their children became easier and felt more confident identifying
potential indicators of substance abuse. Policies and procedures were approved by the
school board and implemented at the end of the school year.

7. Consolidate improvements and produce more change.

Use your success and improvements (yes! this project is going to work and the guiding coalition
is behind the initiative) to further change systems, structures, etc.
• Evaluate and plan for changes/improvements for the following/year. For example, add
additional programs and outreach.
• Address policy changes as needed.
• Do you need additional support resources (i.e. Staff) to further understand or support the
issue? Is there a need for differing approaches to mental and behavioral health in school?

8. Institutionalize new approaches.

Articulate connections between new behaviors and success of the program. Share the
successes and your results.
• For example, benchmarking the data from this school year with the previous year indicates
that there was a decrease by 52% in students sent out district wide for possible substance
abuse. It was clear that parents/guardians were more aware of the impact substance abuse
has on school performance and student behaviors. Coordination and communication
between the school nurse and school counselors was identified as an area that could be
improved. A district-wide team was implemented. A possible next step for the following
year may include middle-school students.

What are the naloxone requirements in NJ schools?

State of New Jersey. Department of Education. (2016, May 24). Information for schools regarding
opioid overdose prevention. Retrieved from https://homeroom5.doe.state.nj.us/broadcasts/2016/
MAY/24/14963/Information%20for%20Schools%20Regarding%20Opioid%20Overdose%20
Prevention.pdf

What are my resources?

State of New Jersey. Department of Health. (n.d.). Division of mental health and addiction services.
Retrieved
from http://nj.gov/health/integratedhealth/

National Association of School Psychologists. (2017). Professional development: PREPaRE training
curriculum. Retrieved from https://www.nasponline.org/professional-development/prepare-
training-curriculum

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