Mastic Beach, NY - January 11, 2016 - This past fall, 57 third-, fourth- and fifth-grade students from Tangier Smith, John S. Hobart, Nathaniel Woodhull and William Floyd Elementary schools participated in the American Lung Association's "Open Airways for Schools" program, an evidence-based program designed to teach asthma self-management skills and improve the lives of children living with this condition.
The program is made possible by Farmingdale State College and representatives from the Asthma Coalition of Long Island with assistance from William Floyd lead nurse Jacki O'Donnell and each school's nurse. Moriches Elementary School has also participated in the past, and to date, nearly 130 elementary students throughout the William Floyd School District have successfully completed this program and received certificates in asthma self-management.
Monica Diamond-Caravella, MSN, RN, PMC, AE-C, Assistant Professor of Nursing, Farmingdale State College Department of Nursing, and her nursing students from Southside Hospital, taught the elementary school students basic information about asthma, the medicines used to control it, recognizing and managing asthma symptoms, identifying and controlling asthma triggers, the importance of getting enough exercise and doing well in school.
“This asthma initiative strives to help students self-manage their asthma while teaching their parents about important key triggers that could make their asthma worse," said Professor Diamond-Caravella, MSN, RN. "It is the goal of this program to keep children in school and reduce unnecessary asthma attacks. The Farmingdale RN nursing students truly enjoyed their community nursing experience and the lessons and relationships acquired for all involved were unforgettable too.”