Problem
In this task that includes two parts, you will assess the needs of a child and their family located within a rural area and identify strategies to assist them to improve their health literacy and live a healthier life.
You have been working as the School Nurse at Yarrowyck, NSW combined school where you care for the children from grade prep through to Year 12.
Yesterday, the grade 1/3 teacher (Jenny Taylor) expressed concern about 9-year-old Archie. She has observed that Archie does not play with the other children as much as he used to and when he does he often gets into fights. Over the last few months his marks in all subjects have dropped and he doesn't complete his homework like he used to. When she was on yard duty last week, she saw him throwing away his lunch and thinks he has lost weight.
Today you have arranged for Archie and two other grade three boys to help you set up a garden bed for planting vegetables. You ask Archie how he is going at school and home, he puts his head down and whispers "mum and dad fight all the time, sometimes Dad comes home late from the pub and the yelling starts, I stay in my room with the door shut". You ask Archie if he feels safe at home now, and he replies "sometimes I'm scared".
Part I
Identify one actual problem and one potential problem from the information, and determine what actions you as the school nurse can take to support Archie and his parents during this time. Provide rationales for the interventions you suggest and cite evidence supporting your chosen rationale. Identify a method for evaluating the success of each intervention.
Part II
Outline your role as a school nurse in the process of mandatory reporting. Discuss the case study in the context of Archie "at risk of significant harm" and the mandatory reporting process.