Primary School Nursing

The Primary School Nursing Program (PSNP) offers a universal screening service to prep children in primary schools in State, Catholic and Independent schools and English Language Centres and provides assessment and support for children in grades 1 - 6 where a parent, teacher or nurse identifies a concern. The PSNP is designed to identify children with potential health related learning difficulties and to respond to parent's concerns and observations about their children's health and well being. Parents concerns and observations are collected through the School Entrant Health Questionnaire (SEHQ) at the commencement of the first year of school and follow up health assessments are conducted as indicated. Services provided by nurses through the PSNP include:

• Responding to health issues raised through the SEHQ
• A vision screening test for children who have not previously been tested or the children whose parents or teachers are concerned about their vision.
• A hearing and oral health check for children where concerns have been identified
• Advice to parents and teachers
• Development of strategies to assist families in accessing specific local family support services
• Referral of identified conditions to another health service where appropriate for further assessment and treatment
• Health education and health promotion