School Nurse & Teacher Vision Education Programs
Programs to educate school nurses, teachers, parents, and others who provide care to kids about general children’s vision issues
School Nurse & Teacher Vision Education Programs
Pediatric vision care programming has been a priority for POA since 1999 when the Pediatric Vision Care Committee was formed to address the fact that many children were not receiving comprehensive vision examinations, particularly prior to entering school. The POA developed the Kids Welcome Here® campaign and has focused its efforts on programs to educate the public on the importance of pediatric vision care.
The POA has formed many partnerships through the Kids Welcome Here® campaign, including working with the Pennsylvania Department of Health to revise the school vision screening procedures and develop education programs for school nurses and teachers.
Additionally, the POA has also worked with the Pennsylvania Association of School Nurses and Practitioners, the Pennsylvania Association for the Blind and Pennsylvania’s CHIP program.
Children’s Vision: A Guide for School Nurses & Teachers
The POA developed a program to educate school nurses, teachers, parents and others who provide care to kids about general children’s vision issues. The program touches on basic anatomy of the eye as a basis for detailed discussions of:
- myopia,
- hyperopia,
- astigmatism,
- amblyopia,
- strabismus,
- convergence insufficiency,
- binocular vision disorders,
- color vision deficiency and
- conjunctivitis;
- links vision to learning and highlights the importance of regular comprehensive eye care in addition to school vision screenings.
Because of a collaborative effort with the Department of Health, school nurses and teachers will receive two Act 48 credits for attending the program. Credits can be administered via the school district or via the optometrist in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Department of Health School Health Consultants.
The program will be presented by a local optometrist at no charge. We ask that the school provide a computer and projector.
If you are interested in setting up a presentation for your school district or school nurse group, or if you have questions, please contact Kelsey at the POA office at Kelsey@poaeyes.org or (717) 233-6455. You can apply online to have a presentation by filling out the form below:
School Vision Screening Program
The Department of Health (DOH) published its final revised school vision screening procedures in May 2002, which were implemented in September of 2003. The DOH mailed copies of the new document directly to all Pennsylvania certified school nurses. A copy of the school vision screening procedures is available to print or view online.
Education Program for School Nurses
The POA created an informational program to educate nurses about the rationale for the new tests as well has how to administer them. The program will be presented by a local optometrist at no charge. We ask that the school provide a computer and projector.
If you are interested in setting up a presentation for your school district or school nurse group, or if you have questions, please contact Kelsey Rodkey at the POA office at Kelsey@poaeyes.org or (717) 233-6455 with the following information:
Contact Lens Education Program
The Contact Lens Education Program was created by members of the POA’s Centennial Committee as a community outreach program honoring the POA’s 100th anniversary in 1996.
The program is designed to educate school nurses and others working with children about contact lenses, and provide them with the confidence needed to handle contact lens related eye problems successfully.
We ask that the school provide a computer and projector.
For information about the program or to request a presenter for your organization, email Kelsey@poaeyes.org or call (717) 233-6455.
