Essentially, a school physical form provides guidance on the proper structure of health assessment to improve the health and wellbeing of students.
In a school physical form, the school care providers are required to examine a student for any possible medical signs or symptoms of a medical condition. It generally consists of a series of questions about the student’s medical history followed by an examination based on the reported symptoms.
Together, the medical history and the physical examination help to determine a diagnosis and devise the treatment plan. This data then becomes part of the medical record.
School Physical Form and Medical History
School authority would normally encourage students or their families to fill out a medical history form before filling the school physical form that includes standard elements important to consider in evaluating the student’s eligibility to participate in physical activities.
The school care provider should review the medical history in a private setting with the student and their guardian as it could be considered as confidential information.
Blank School Physical Form
Generic School Physical Form
High School Physical Form
Nursing School Physical Examination Form
Printable School Physical Form
School Sports Physical Evaluation Form
Medical Eligibility
The school physical form cares in conducting a system-based examination to include respiratory system, nervous system, general medical conditions, and mental health.
When determining medical eligibility, the school care provider should have experience in evaluating other students and determining if they are medically able to compete. Examinations in locker rooms or gymnasiums are discouraged as it does not provide the student with a confidential space for the assessment.
History of Medical Assessment
The roots of the Physical assessment are not entirely clear. They seem to have been advocated since the 1920s. Some authors point to pleads from the 19th and early 20th century for the early detection of diseases like tuberculosis, and periodic school health examinations.
The advent of medical insurance and related commercial influences seems to have promoted the examination, whereas this practice has been subject to controversy in the age of evidence-based medicine. Several studies have been performed before current evidence-based recommendation for screening were formulated, limiting the applicability of these studies to current-day practice.
Routine Physical Asessment
The routine physical, also known as general medical examination, periodic health evaluation, annual physical, or simply medical, is a physical examination performed on an patient for medical screening purposes.
These are normally performed by a pediatrician, a certified nurse practitioner or other primary care provider. Nursing professionals can develop a baseline assessment to identify normal versus abnormal findings. These are reported to the primary care provider. If necessary, the patient may be sent to a medical specialist for more detailed examinations.
After The Assessment
After the medical assessment, the school care provider can find the athlete:
- Eligible for physical activity without restrictions
- Eligible for physical activity without restriction, but further evaluation needed
- Eligible for certain certain physical activity listed on the form
- Not eligible for any physical activity, until further evaluation
- Not eligible for any physical activity
Functions of School Physical Form
1. Diagnosis
A physical form are filled in most healthcare encounters. For example, a school physical form is filled when a student comes to a school clinic complaining of flu-like symptoms. These diagnostic examinations usually focus on the chief complaint.
2. Screening
a school physical form is filled in regard of general health checks, including physical examinations performed when the patient reported no health concerns. This often include medical screening for common conditions, such as high blood pressure.
3. Establishing doctor-patient relationship
a physical form has been described as a ritual that plays a significant role in the doctor-patient relationship that will provide benefits in other medical encounters.
A significant study found that general health checks did not reduce the risk of death and could not be proved to affect the patient’s likelihood of being admitted to the hospital, becoming disabled, missing work, or needing additional office visits.
The study found no effect on the risk of illness, but did find evidence suggesting that patients subject to routine physicals were diagnosed with hypertension and other chronic conditions at a higher rate than those who were not. It could be noted that studies often lead to success in considering or reporting possible harmful outcomes.
In other words, a school physical form is as important as a general health check. The two may have a big chance in reporting an upcoming diseases. This will surely help the participants to take precaution steps.
