LAUSR

Background Home environmental assessments and interventions delivered via academic practice partnerships (APP) between clinics and schools of nursing may be a low or no cost delivery model of pediatric asthma care and professional education. Patients receive enhanced clinical resources that can improve self‐management and healthcare utilization. Additionally, students can practice chronic disease management skills in actual patient encounters. Objective To describe outcomes of the implementation of an APP between a school of nursing and a pediatric asthma specialty clinic (PASC) to deliver a home visit program (HVP). The HVP was designed to reduce emergency department visits and asthma related hospitalizations in PASC patients and provide clinical experiences for nursing students. Methods PASC referred patients to the HVP based on their level of asthma control. Students provided an individualized number of home visits to 17 participants over a nine month period. A 12‐month pre‐ and post‐HVP comparison of emergency department visits and asthma related hospitalizations was conducted. Additional information was gathered from stakeholders via an online survey, and interviews with APP partners and HVP families. Outcomes Children had fewer asthma related hospitalizations post HVP. Findings suggest a reduction in exposure to environmental triggers, improved patient and family management of asthma, and increased PASC knowledge of asthma triggers in the home and increased student knowledge and skills related to asthma management. Conclusions Multiple clinical and educational benefits may be realized through the development of APPs as an infrastructure supporting targeted interventions in home visits to pediatric asthma patients and their families. HighlightsNursing students provide targeted interventions while learning to manage a complex chronic disease in the community setting.Fewer inpatient hospitalizations occurred through the use of home visits in the academic practice partnerships care model.Home visits helped families understand asthma and how to manage their child's asthma.