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19 <br /> As a public health nurse working in a middle school and a high school in <br /> the county I coordinate the prenatal, postnatal and parenting (0-age 4) education <br /> of the expectant teens and the teen parents. This includes connecting them with <br /> medical care, emotional support systems, community resources and educational <br /> and career opportunities. I am the facilitator for a monthly small group for <br /> expectant teen mothers and fathers which meets to hear prenatal and infant <br /> development educational offerings. Together with the school system health <br /> educator, I co-facilitate the Young Parents Support Group which also meets <br /> monthly for topics on infant and child care, specific parenting subjects and " <br /> reproductive health. Weekly visits to the nurse's office are not uncommon. <br /> As mandated by the Standards and Practices of the National School Nurse <br /> Association I develop an individual health plan for each expectant teen,--Young <br /> parent and infant or child. After an initial assessment (yearly or at -birth) , <br /> I choose the appropriate nursing , diagnoses, interventions and expected outcomes <br /> and then proceed to implement them with evaluation at timely intervals. <br /> As the expectant teens deliver, I am the case manager for each: requesting <br /> homebound instruction and generally acting as liaison between hospital, school <br /> and family. In this role I also home visit each new family unit. <br /> Close collaboration is maintained with the Health Department, Adolescent <br /> Parenting Program, School Health Educator, Area Hospital School teachers, <br /> Division of Social Services, Adolescents-in-Need Project, Adolescent Education <br /> Scholarship Fund and Orange Congregation in Mission Day Care Center. <br /> Up to the present writing, I have done all of this without the help of a <br /> computer or printer. It takes a large amount of time to organize, type and <br /> develop. - <br /> A computer and printer would allow me to improve the quality of my services <br /> to teen parents and their children in the following ways. <br /> 1. Allow more quality time in one-on-one counseling in parenting skills as <br /> well as small group activity. <br /> 2. Develop a database for each pregnant teen, young parent and infant/child, <br /> documenting demographic information, appointments, day care plans, education <br /> needed and received and including the individual health plan for each. <br /> Referrals to community resources, and participation in the various groups <br /> plus academic schedule and expectations all in one place. <br /> 3. Consolidate five notebooks of infant care and child development information <br /> into manageable categories with ability to print out appropriate educational <br /> material. <br />