This publication is designed to help teachers, nurses and paraprofessionals meet the challenges of dealing with children who have serious medical problems. It contains information on training, health and safety, and legal rights and responsibilities. Specifically, this third edition sets out to accomplish three goals: (1) to educate American Federation of Teachers (AFT) members on their roles and responsibilities in relation to children with special healthcare needs (sometimes referred to as "medically fragile students"); (2) to educate AFT members on their rights as school employees; and (3) to outline possible solutions and protections for local unions to pursue on behalf of their members. Appended are: (1) Resources; (2) IDEA Definitions of Covered Disabilities; (3) State Boards of Nursing Contact Information; (4) Model Letter on Inappropriate Delegation; (5) Guidelines for the Delineation of Roles and Responsibilities for the Safe Delivery of Specialized Healthcare in the Educational Setting; (6) Guidance for Staff Roles in Providing Care; (7) National School Transportation Specifications & Procedures; (8) Description of Lifting Equipment; (9) Assessment and Care Plan for Safe Student Handling and Movement; (10) Model Safe Student Handling and Movement Policy; (11) AFT Policy Statements Relating to Care of Children with Special Healthcare Needs; (12) National Council of State Boards of Nursing Position Paper: "Working with Others;" and (13) National Association of School Nurses Position Statement on Delegation. Appended are: (1) Resources; (2) IDEA Definitions of Covered Disabilities; (3) State Boards of Nursing Contact Information; (4) Model Letter on Inappropriate Delegation; (5) Guidelines for the Delineation of Roles and Responsibilities for the Safe Delivery of Specialized Healthcare in the Educational Setting; (6) Guidance for Staff Roles in Providing Care; (7) National School Transportation Specifications & Procedures; (8) Description of Lifting Equipment; (9) Assessment and Care Plan for Safe Student Handling and Movement; (10) Model Safe Student Handling and Movement Policy; (11) AFT Policy Statements Relating to Care of Children with Special Healthcare Needs; (12) National Council of State Boards of Nursing Position Paper: Working with Others; and (13) National Association of School Nurses Position Statement on Delegation. (Contains 27 endnotes.).

There is a growing need for a training manual for foster parents, natural parents, and adoptive parents who are blessed with medically fragile children. Author Geri Hernandez has seen this need and has responded by writing the Medically Fragile Training Manual for struggling parents. This first-of-its-kind manual addresses the basic level of care that is needed For The medically fragile child. A few examples of what this manual contains: bull; Common medical diagnoses with signs and symptoms bull; Paperwork required for successful care of the medically fragile child bull; Common and necessary medications, their most common side effects, and dispensing methods bull; Procedures explained in easy-to-understand terms bull; Definitions and frequently used terms bull; Sample forms and checklists helpful for at-home care