Elsevier

Journal of Pediatric Health Care

Volume 10, Issue 5, September–October 1996, Pages 209-216
Journal of Pediatric Health Care

Original article
A nursing intervention to ensure a safe playground environment

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0891-5245(96)90003-6Get rights and content

Abstract

Unintentional injuries sustained on school playgrounds are a continual problem not only for children but also for the school nurses who are concerned with their safety. A group of school nurses organized by the local health department's pediatric nurse practitioner responded proactively to this problem by enlisting both school officials and studients to accept joint responsibility for a safe play environment. The school nurses assisted the staff in providing a safe play environment and encouraged the students to behave in a safe and acceptable manner on the playground. The nurses developed (a) a Playground Safety Assessment Guide for the school staff to establish and maintain a safe play environment, (b) an in-service session for playground monitors to learn how to supervise children at recess, and (c) a student-oriented program for the children to improve behavior on the playground based on a program conceived by Utah State University (Daug & Fukui, 1988). School nurses and pediatric nurse practitioners can use this program as a model for other schools to improve the physical play environment and behavior of the children at recess.

References (12)

  • M.K Swartz

    Playground Safety

    Journal of Pediatric Health Care

    (1992)
  • D.J Ball et al.

    Playground injuries: a scientific appraisal of popular concerns

    Journal of the Royal Society of Health

    (1991)
  • D Daug et al.

    Playground perspectives: a curriculum guide for promoting playgroud safety

    (1988)
  • J.B Kotch et al.

    Child day care and home injuries involving playground equipment

    Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health

    (1993)
  • D Laraque et al.

    The Central Harlem playground injury prevention project: a model for change (news)

    American Journal of Public Health

    (1994)
  • L.M Lewis et al.

    Quantitation of impact attenuation of different playground surfaces under various environmental conditions using a tri-axial accelerometer

    Journal of Trauma

    (1993)
There are more references available in the full text version of this article.

Cited by (8)

View all citing articles on Scopus
View full text