School Nurses on the Front Lines of Medicine: Take a BREATH: The Approach to a Student With Respiratory Distress

Students presenting with varying degrees of respiratory symptoms and distress occur commonly in the school setting. It is important to develop a differential diagnosis for respiratory distress, to initiate stabilization of the student with life-threatening symptoms, and to triage these students to an appropriate level of care (back to the classroom, home with their guardian with follow up at their primary health care provider's office, or directly to the closest emergency department via Emergency Medical Services). This article describes the initial assessment and management of a student presenting with respiratory distress.