Adolescent Health
ANA Position Statement
Approved: September 30, 2000
Statement of ANA Position
Adolescence is the culmination of childhood experiences and presents a window of opportunity for nurses to positively influence adolescent health practices. Nurses who provide basic services to adolescents must be able to deal confidently with a broad range of adolescent health concerns and should demonstrate a basic level of competence. ANA believes the role of the nurse is to serve as advocate, spokesperson, care provider, case manager, administrator, researcher, and volunteer. Nurses do not work in isolation, therefore, ANA strongly recommends an interdisciplinary approach to address the health care needs of this population group. A multicultural, socioeconomic, and multiracial perspective is required for nurses to achieve the Nation’s goal of ensuring all adolescents are afforded competent health care services.
Hence, the American Nurses Association supports:
- Education of nurses about the complex nature of adolescence;
- Education of nurses about the scientific, ethical, and practical issues that impact the health status of adolescents;
- Development of culturally sensitive, linguistically and literacy appropriate programs for nurses working directly or indirectly with adolescents;
- Identification of adolescent health care issues that focus on societal expectations, environmental impacts, access, and delivery of quality health care services;
- Interdisciplinary approach to caring for the adolescent client/patient;
- Nursing research in adolescent health issues and services
- Legislation that recognizes the roles of the registered nurse (RN) and advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) as providers of health care services for adolescents and reimbursement for such services;
- Funding of government programs aimed at improving access to care, including: Title X Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage of reproductive health benefits, school-based health clinics, and Title V Maternal Child Health (MCH) block grants;
- Development and maintenance of school health services and reimbursement for such services.
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