Greenville Reporter

ECU Health's Pediatric Asthma Program, established in 1995, has expanded its efforts to reduce emergency department visits and hospital admissions for children with asthma in eastern North Carolina. The program aims to improve the quality of life for asthmatic children by decreasing school absenteeism through collaborations with public schools in the region.

The initiative covers 29 counties, many of which are rural. It establishes contracts with schools allowing program staff to conduct asthma tests, engage with parents, connect with primary care physicians, and ensure medication compliance among students.

Bailey Edwards, a respiratory care manager associated with the program, works closely with students from elementary to high school levels. At DF Walker Elementary School in Edenton, North Carolina, where she has been involved for seven years, a new approach was adopted after a change in school nursing staff. "The nurse started grouping the kids with asthma together for our sessions," Edwards noted. "They’re all in the same grade and even in the same class. They all know each other."

Edwards' sessions involve listening to lung sounds and performing assessments like fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) tests to evaluate lung inflammation and steroid effectiveness. She ensures medications are available at school and that students use their inhalers correctly. "They want to take their two puffs and go out and play," she said about ensuring proper inhaler technique.

Group sessions also foster peer learning among children about managing asthma effectively. "Kids can hear from their parents and the nurse and from me," Edwards explained. "But when they hear information from their friends, they tend to remember it."

Parents benefit from consistent information received from various sources including nurses and their children. Edwards emphasized this as crucial since asthma symptoms can vary daily: “You can look great on a Tuesday and then be in the ED on Friday.”

At DF Walker Elementary School, improvements have been observed among participating students despite initial health challenges during flu season; they now test normally according to Edwards.

Program statistics reflect positive trends: increased referrals by school nurses and primary care providers alongside more frequent school visits (up by 17.7%) as well as clinic hours (up by 21%). Sue Anne Pilgreen stated: “We are working hard to increase community numbers in order to decrease the number of kids in the hospital.”

Pilgreen highlighted strong partnerships between school nurses—particularly important within rural areas facing transportation issues—and ECU Health’s initiative: “This partnership cuts down on barriers offering a win-win solution for everyone.”