Nonverbal students and school nurses: using a health-related communication board.

This research study, conducted within a self-contained school for mentally disabled students, presents an innovative and creative approach to communication between the nonverbal student and the school nurse. A communication board was designed displaying 40 health-related symbols, thus providing a means for the nonverbal students, ranging in chronological age from 5 to 13 and intelligence ranges (I.Q.) from 5 to 55, to express their health needs during the nursing assessment.