Spotlight on Telementoring in New England

This month, we shine a spotlight on the Epilepsy Foundation New England (EFNE) and their participation in the telementoring program: Managing Students with Seizures Project ECHO^® for School Nurses. EFNE took part in the first of eight sessions for this program. During their session on February 7, 2019, 19 school nurses from the state of Maine, a state in EFNE’s service area, signed up for the session.

Managing Students with Seizures ECHO

Project ECHO^® (Extensions for Community Healthcare Outcomes) is a telementoring program designed to create communities of learners. Managing Students with Seizures ECHO is hosted by the American Academy of Pediatrics’ National Coordinating Center for Epilepsy and the Epilepsy Foundation.

“Project ECHO’s strength lies in the shift in teaching methods from a strictly lecture model to a case study that is presented for all to review and discuss,” said Director of Education and Volunteer Services at Epilepsy Foundation New England Susan Welby. “Much more is learned through others' experiences and it is moderated by experts in the field for accuracy of information.”

School Nurse Curriculum

The curriculum for the session was created by a team from the Epilepsy Foundation, including health care professionals who specialize in epilepsy. It is funded under the cooperative agreement that the Foundation currently has with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is divided into one-hour lessons that explore key aspects of the "Managing Students with Seizures" curriculum for school nurses. Each lesson is taught through a brief instruction, followed by a presentation of a case study and discussion of the case. This creates a learning environment where the school nurses can learn from experts and each other.

The ECHO curriculum for school nurses was developed based on previous live and online training evaulations that showed an interest in more in-depth explanation of:

• Basics of epilepsy and types of seizures
• Seizure first aid
• Rescue medications
• Impact of comorbidities on the student
• Psychogenic non-epileptic seizures and other difficult conditions
• Information about resources

February Session with EFNE

The session on February 7, 2019, co-hosted with New England, focused on the importance of seizure recognition. The program gave EFNE an opportunity to reach the remote areas of the four states in their coverage area: Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. This opportunity gives school nurses who are restricted by distance, commuting traffic, and geographical barriers to learn more about managing seizures.

“A large number of nurses from Maine joined the program. They have never had on the ground training before because of their location,” said Senior Director for Health Information & Resources and Associate Editor of epilepsy.com Patty Osborne Shafer RN, MN. “This is a good example about how nurses in any area can learn about epilepsy and the importance of school nurses, as well as connect with their local Foundation."

More About Epilepsy Foundation New England

The Epilepsy Foundation New England provides a variety of services to their community, including:

• The Purple Camp
• Support Groups
• Career Navigator
• Educational Programs
• Financial Aid
• Studio E
• Resources for Youth
• Emergency Aid Resources
• Regional Services

Thank you to Epilepsy Foundation New England for supporting the first Project ECHO telementoring session for school nurses!

Related Links

• Our Training and Education
• Find Your Local Epilepsy Foundation