School Nurse Asthma Newsletter: Managing Asthma at School

Asthma is the most common chronic health condition in school-age children, affecting approximately one in twelve students. A student whose asthma is well-managed misses roughly the same number of school days as their peers. One whose asthma is not managed well may miss 12 to 15 days per year. The school nurse newsletter on asthma is one of the most directly impactful communications a nurse can send.

Explain What an Asthma Action Plan Is and Who Needs One

Every student with a known asthma diagnosis should have a current written asthma action plan on file with the school nurse. This plan is completed by the child's physician and reviewed annually. It describes the student's baseline lung function, trigger exposures to avoid, the green-yellow-red symptom zones, and the specific medication and dose for each zone. Families often do not realize the plan expires each school year and must be updated with a physician signature. Include a blank action plan form and submission instructions in the newsletter.

Describe the Rescue Inhaler Protocol at School

Walk families through exactly what happens when a student experiences asthma symptoms at school: the student reports symptoms to a teacher or goes directly to the nurse; the nurse administers the rescue inhaler per the action plan or retrieves the student's self-carry inhaler; if symptoms do not improve after two doses of rescue medication, 911 is called. Families should know that any student who experiences a significant asthma episode at school will be evaluated before returning to class, and a parent call will always be placed.

Identify the Most Common In-School Asthma Triggers

Common school-based triggers include dusty classroom materials, strong cleaning product fumes, mold in older building spaces, chalk dust in classrooms where traditional boards are still used, cold air during outdoor recess, exercise without appropriate warm-up, and strong perfumes or scented products worn by other students or staff. If a student's asthma is consistently worse on specific days or in specific rooms, that pattern is worth investigating. Encourage families to share observations about trigger patterns with the nurse.

Cover Self-Carry and Self-Administration Authorization

Explain your school's and state's policy on student self-carry of rescue inhalers. For a student in fifth grade or older with physician-documented competency, self-carry allows them to access their inhaler immediately without traveling to the nurse's office, which is especially important during outdoor activities and field trips. Include the self-carry authorization form link and the physician documentation requirements. Note that both the physician and the parent must authorize self-carry separately.

Template Excerpt: Asthma Management Reminder

Here is a section you can adapt for the newsletter:

"If your student has asthma, please submit a current asthma action plan signed by their physician before the start of school. Expired plans (more than 12 months old) cannot be used for medication administration. A rescue inhaler must be kept at school at all times, even if your student self-carries a second one. To request self-carry authorization for students in grades 4 and up, please complete the form at [link] and have your student's physician complete the accompanying medical statement."

Address Exercise-Induced Asthma and PE Participation

Students with exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) may need rescue medication 15 minutes before physical education. Coordinate with the PE teacher so this is built into the routine rather than treated as an interruption. A physician note specifying any activity restrictions (such as avoiding sprinting in cold weather) should be shared with the PE team. Students with EIB should not be required to skip PE; they should be accommodated with modified warm-up and rest access during high-intensity periods.

Explain What Families Should Do When Asthma Management Changes

When a physician updates a student's asthma management, a new action plan, a new prescription, or a new medication authorization must reach the school nurse before the student can receive the updated medication at school. Families often assume the nurse has been notified by the doctor's office directly; this is almost never the case. Remind families that any change in medication, dosage, or triggers requires a new submission of forms to the nurse's office.

Close With the Nurse's Contact and Emergency Protocol Reminder

End with a clear statement: if a student is experiencing severe difficulty breathing, wheezing that does not resolve with one dose of rescue medication, or is unable to speak in full sentences, call 911 first. Then call the parent. Then notify the school. The nurse's phone number and email for non-emergency questions should follow. A nurse who receives consistent, updated information from families is in a far stronger position to support a student during an asthma event.