Public School Nursing Practice in the United States

2018 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 232-244 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mayumi A. Willgerodt ◽  
Douglas M. Brock ◽  
Erin D. Maughan
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Public School ◽  
Nursing Practice ◽  
Practice Patterns ◽  
School Nurse ◽  
The United States ◽  
School Nurses ◽  
School Level ◽  
School Nursing ◽  
Full Time

School nursing practice has changed dramatically over the past 20 years, yet few nationally representative investigations describing the school nursing workforce have been conducted. The National School Nurse Workforce Study describes the demographic and school nursing practice patterns among self-reported public school nurses and the number and full-time equivalent (FTE) positions of all school nurses in the United States. Using a random sample stratified by public/private, region, school level, and urban/rural status from two large national data sets, we report on weighted survey responses of 1,062 public schools. Additional questions were administered to estimate the school nurse population and FTEs. Findings reported illustrate differences by strata in public school nurse demographics, practice patterns, and nursing activities and tasks. We estimate approximately 132,300 self-identified practicing public and private school nurses and 95,800 FTEs of school nurses in the United States. Research, policy, and school nursing practice implications are discussed.

The Number of Students Sent Home by School Nurses Compared to Unlicensed Personnel

2008 ◽  
Vol 24 (5) ◽  
pp. 290-297 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole Pennington ◽  
Elizabeth Delaney
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Academic Success ◽  
School Health ◽  
School Attendance ◽  
School Nurse ◽  
The United States ◽  
School Nurses ◽  
Full Time ◽  
School Employees ◽  
School Employee

Many schools across the United States do not have a full-time school nurse, resulting in care being provided by unlicensed school employees when children are sick or injured at school. The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a difference in the number of students sent home when ill or injured based on who assessed the student in the school health office—a school nurse or an unlicensed school employee. Findings indicated that 5% of students seen by the school nurse were sent home and 18% of students seen by an unlicensed school employee were sent home. This study suggests that more students could be kept in school when school nurses provide assessment and interventions aimed at helping students who become ill or injured while at school, thus increasing school attendance and promoting academic success. These findings also support the need for a school nurse in every school.

A New Framework for School Nurse Self-Reflection and Evaluation

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-42
Author(s):  
Robin Landes Wallin ◽  
Susan Rothman
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Practice ◽  
21St Century ◽  
Nursing Practice ◽  
School Nurse ◽  
Position Statement ◽  
School Nurses ◽  
School Nursing ◽  
Self Reflection ◽  
Standards Of Practice ◽  
New Framework

The purpose of this article is to demonstrate how the Framework for 21st Century School Nursing Practice™ can provide a structure for evaluation using the School Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice (3rd ed.), thus allowing the school nurse and school nurse evaluators to gain a better understanding of school nursing practice. According to NASN’s Position Statement Supervision and Evaluation of the School Nurse, standards should be used to evaluate the clinical practice of school nurses. Our project accomplishes this integration of the Framework, the standards, and the evaluation of school nursing practice.

Professional Development and Appraisal System for School Nurses

2002 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 229-236
Author(s):  
Jane Tustin ◽  
Gloria Canham ◽  
Joanne Berridge ◽  
Deborah Braden ◽  
Thora Starke
Keyword(s):  
Evaluation System ◽  
Nursing Practice ◽  
Evaluation Model ◽  
School Nurse ◽  
School Nurses ◽  
School Nursing ◽  
Professional School ◽  
Appraisal System ◽  
Nurse Administrators ◽  
The Individual

Dissatisfied with current school nurse evaluation instruments, school nurse administrators sought to develop an appraisal system that would emphasize the professional role of the school nurse and provide a means to enhance individual practice. The newly revised Standards of Professional School Nursing Practice and the creation of a state teacher evaluation model presented the opportunity to produce an instrument that could be adapted within the educational setting for school nursing practice. The appraisal system included not only the methods to evaluate practice, but the means to involve the individual school nurse through goal setting. The process also included a structured intervention plan that facilitated remediation. This article describes the development of the appraisal system, the components, and the implementation of an evaluation system for school nurses.

School Nurse Job Descriptions in Urban Districts: Alignment With the Framework for 21st-Century School Nursing Practice

2020 ◽  
pp. 105984052096362
Author(s):  
Virginia Reising ◽  
Heide Cygan
Keyword(s):  
School Districts ◽  
21St Century ◽  
Nursing Practice ◽  
School Nurse ◽  
The United States ◽  
School Nursing ◽  
Job Descriptions ◽  
Job Responsibilities ◽  
Health Nursing ◽  
Practice Framework

It is recommended that every student has daily access to a school nurse and that school nurses work in alignment with the Framework for 21st-Century School Nursing Practice (Framework). Little is known about Framework alignment with school nursing practice. The purpose of this study is to describe the alignment between the Framework and school nurse job descriptions in large, urban school districts across the United States. Using content analysis, with a directed approach, researchers used the Framework to analyze school nurse job descriptions for 16 school districts, analyzing 375 individual job responsibilities. The majority of job responsibilities reviewed (86%) were related to principles within the care coordination and community/public health nursing component, while job responsibilities within the key principles of leadership and quality improvement components were limited (14%). The Framework can be a useful tool to guide school nurse practice and however needs to be intentionally brought into job descriptions.

School Nursing for the 21st Century: Assessing Scope of Practice in the Current Workforce

2019 ◽  
pp. 105984051988060 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diane Davis ◽  
Erin D. Maughan ◽  
Krista A. White ◽  
Margaret Slota
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Quality Improvement ◽  
Nursing Practice ◽  
Gap Analysis ◽  
Public Health Practice ◽  
The United States ◽  
School Nurses ◽  
School Nursing ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
State Regulations

A gap analysis was used to examine the scope of school nursing practice in the United States. An investigator-developed 39-item self-assessment survey of scope of school nursing practice was modified from an existing validated tool, organized around the five principles of the National Association of School Nurses’ Framework: Standards of Practice, Quality Improvement, Care Coordination, Community/Public Health, and Leadership and also explored barriers to practice. The survey was sent to a national convenience sample of practicing school nurses. The survey was completed by 3,108 practicing school nurses. Gaps were identified for all principles and were greatest for Quality Improvement and Community/Public Health practice. All practice items were rated more important than the ability to practice that item ( p < .001). Self-identified barriers including workload, school/district expectations, and state regulations accounted for significant variances in practice across four of five principles ( p < .05, p < .001). Recommendations include support for population-focused evidence–based school nursing practice.

Identification of Workload Measurement Indicators for School Nursing Practice

2020 ◽  
pp. 105984052094683
Author(s):  
Beth E. Jameson ◽  
Lori S. Anderson ◽  
Patricia Endsley
Keyword(s):  
School Districts ◽  
Delphi Study ◽  
Nursing Practice ◽  
School Nurse ◽  
School Nurses ◽  
School Nursing ◽  
Workload Measurement ◽  
Care Processes ◽  
Nurse Workload ◽  
Nationally Representative

Many school districts rely on caseload or student to school nurse ratios that are not grounded in evidence-based research. There is a need for a comprehensive workload instrument to describe the work of school nurses that incorporates the complexities of the role and includes acuity, care processes, and social determinants of health. The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify workload activities from a previous Delphi study that can be empirically measured as items for a workload instrument. A nationally representative sample of 27 school nurses participated in four focus groups, describing activities important to the measurement of workload. Focus group input resulted in identification and confirmation of workload activities that impact school nurse workload. Use of the National Association of School Nurses’ Framework for 21st Century School Nursing Practice™ was integral in capturing gaps and important workload activities for a potential workload instrument.

Power of the Past, Celebrate the Present, Force of the Future Part 1: Our Story—NASN’s First 25 Years

2018 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 228-235 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda C. Wolfe
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
50Th Anniversary ◽  
The United States ◽  
School Nurses ◽  
School Nursing ◽  
Historical Account ◽  
Professional Affiliation ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Future ◽  
Anniversary Celebration

In June 2018, NASN begins a yearlong 50th-anniversary celebration. This article is the first in a series exploring the history, examining the present, and visioning the future of our organization. Part 1 provides a historical account of the first 25 years of the organization and uncovers the passion of our past leaders in promoting the profession of school nursing and creating a national unified voice. With its inception in the United States in 1902, school nurses seeking professional affiliation joined where they were welcome. Unfortunately, no single organization was open and willing to speak on behalf of all school nurses. Through partnerships, collaboration, advocacy, sacrifice, and unwavering determination, a group of school nurses leaders successfully birthed our organization. Yes, the 50th anniversary of NASN deserves a celebration!

Identification of Desired Outcomes for School Nursing Practice

2003 ◽  
Vol 19 (6) ◽  
pp. 344-350 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janice Selekman ◽  
Patricia Guilday
Keyword(s):  
School Health ◽  
Nursing Practice ◽  
Community Outreach ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
School Nurse ◽  
School Nurses ◽  
School Nursing ◽  
Professional School ◽  
Prevention Measures ◽  
National Meeting

The Scope and Standards of Professional School Nursing Practice states that school nurses should evaluate the quality and effectiveness of their practice. School nurses have not yet identified and adopted outcomes by which this effectiveness can be measured. This study used focus groups during a national meeting of school nurse leaders to identify the desired outcomes that could be used to measure the efficacy of school nursing practice. Ten desired outcome themes were identified with numerous specific indicators as possible ways to measure the desired outcome in each theme. The student-, school-, and nurse-focused outcome themes were as follows: (a) increased student seat time, (b) receipt of first aid and acute care measures, (c) receipt of competent health-related interventions or skills, (d) meeting of the comprehensive needs of children with chronic conditions, (e) enhanced school health via wellness promotion and disease prevention measures, (f) referrals, (g) safe environment, (h) enhanced school health via community outreach, (i) cost-effective school nurse services, and (j) student, parent, and staff satisfaction. The school nurse participants were supportive of having potential outcomes identified and unanimously endorsed the findings at the conclusion of the study. They have provided a comprehensive framework from which evaluation tools can be developed to measure the efficacy of school nursing.

Excellence in School Nursing Practice: Developing a National Perspective on School Nurse Competencies

2002 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 277-285 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nichole Bobo ◽  
Virginia W. Adams ◽  
Leslie Cooper
Keyword(s):  
Academic Success ◽  
Nursing Practice ◽  
Well Being ◽  
School Nurse ◽  
School Nurses ◽  
School Nursing ◽  
Professional School ◽  
Entry Level ◽  
National Perspective ◽  
Work Done

Developing a national position on competencies for school nurses can directly in-fluence professional practice, which ultimately affects the well-being and academic success of students. Collaboration between national experts, such as school nurse educators and school nurse consultants, interested in moving this development forward is key. Closely aligning the work done by the Southern Regional Education Board Council on Collegiate Education for Nursing on entry-level competencies with the Standards of Professional School Nursing Practice provides a framework to carry the school nurse competency initiative forward. Continued competency development will provide guidance for the academic programs that design curricula to prepare school nurses and for the practice settings that hire school nurses.

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