Asthma and Adolescents

Abstract

One of every 10 adolescents in the United States has asthma. Adolescents who lack asthma control are at increased risk for severe asthma episodes and death. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute 2007 asthma guidelines and research studies indicated that school nurses are instrumental in assisting adolescents to monitor their asthma, learn asthma self-management skills, and improve health outcomes. This integrative review examines the research from 2005 to 2011 to identify strategies for school nurses to employ with adolescents to foster self-management skills. The research reviewed here supports the need for school nurses to engage adolescents with asthma to practice self-management behaviors. They should educate the adolescent for asthma, monitor how well the adolescent controls asthma, manage acute asthma episodes by using an asthma action plan, and coordinate care by obtaining written consent from parents to share health information with health care providers.