Health Observation Paper

By being in the elementary school in the Hill District I have gained so many valuable experiences. I have been able to learn so much from these kids and my hope is that they too have learned something from Duquesne students. One thing that I have been able to observe at Weil Elementary school is health behaviors. This is a broad category, but there is one health behavior that I have seen numerous times in the first grade classroom I am in. I have seen numerous kids falling asleep during class time. This has occurred while they are sitting at their desk, sitting on the reading carpet, etcetera. What the teacher will wake them up and tell them to go to the bathroom and wet their face. Sometimes this works and the child will stay awake, but other times the child will doze off again. This is alarming because it shows the lack of sleep some of these children get, and this lack of sleep is leading to a poor performance in their education.
Some important aspects to remember when approaching this is the culture, beliefs, socioeconomic status, demographics, etc. of the area. This knowledge can give the nurses and health care providers a better foundation when approaching education on health behaviors. In regards to the first health behavior I described, I think it would be a good idea for the school nurse with the parents during registration or open house or another time when the majority of the parents are present in the school. During this time the school nurse can address why getting the proper amount of sleep and a good night’s sleep is imperative to a successful learning process and future. Nurses and healthcare providers may be able to get involved in the second health behavior by providing a mental health professional that students have access too. Giving these children an outlet to express their feelings without using violence would be a step in the right