Journal of School Nursing最新文献

Childhood homelessness is increasing and is associated with negative health and academic outcomes. The goal of this quality improvement project was to improve access to healthcare and health outcomes for students experiencing homelessness through a school nurse-led comprehensive health assessment. The multilevel intervention included identifying students experiencing homelessness, conducting a standardized health assessment, and making referrals to care. This 8-month project was conducted in an urban school district. Feasibility and acceptability data were collected to guide sustainability. Student health and referral data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. At the project start, 688 students were identified as experiencing homelessness. More than half (67%) had a partial or fully completed health assessment during the project. Of the students assessed, most had a primary care provider, some had a health condition, and half had a dental home. Students experiencing homelessness would benefit from systematic school-based health assessments to identify unmet health needs.

Overweight and obesity are common in school-age children. Policy, system, and environmental (PSE) approaches-which entail making upstream changes to a school's context-can be leveraged to reduce childhood obesity. Nurses can advance PSE approaches in schools to promote healthy living habits. This review examines the effect of nurse-involved PSE interventions globally to promote healthy nutrition and reduce obesity in schools. We conducted a literature search using multiple databases from 2010 to 2023 for nurse-involved studies that implemented interventions focused on PSE change related to promoting healthy nutrition or reducing obesity in school settings. Twenty interventions globally were included in the systematic review synthesis. Improvements in anthropometrics, health and nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs were observed. PSE interventions can be leveraged to promote healthy nutrition and reduce obesity in school settings. Nurses in varying roles are uniquely qualified to advocate for and implement school-based interventions focused on PSE change.

School nurses represent cost-effective investments in students' health and educational success. Alternative high schools (AHSs) serve an understudied population of youth who are at risk for school dropout and face numerous social inequities, heightening their risk for poor health outcomes. In this two-phase explanatory sequential mixed methods study, we examined school nurse staffing in Texas AHSs. Findings suggest Texas AHSs face understaffing for familiar reasons common across districts (e.g., lack of funding), but also reveal potential deeper inequities. Quantitative findings indicate 71% of Texas AHSs have some form of nursing support, most often an on-call or part-time nurse. Qualitative findings support and enrich this finding with insights into the negative consequences of not having a full-time nurse, indiscriminate approaches to staffing AHSs, and how AHSs can be the only school in the district without a full-time nurse. Altogether, our findings reveal opportunities to better support AHSs with adequate nursing support.

The burden of childhood visual impairment and disparities in access to pediatric vision care remain pressing issues in the United States. School-based vision programs (SBVPs) serve as one approach to advancing health equity. Operating at the intersection of schools and healthcare, SBVPs can increase access to pediatric vision services, improve academic performance, and facilitate referrals to community vision care providers. To maximize their impact, SBVPs must tailor their services to the individual needs and resources of local school communities. School nurses, who have strong ties to school health care services and the school community, are trusted partners in building SBVPs. This article aims to facilitate SBVP development, implementation, and sustainability processes by offering guidance for school nurses and other stakeholders who aim to build a SBVP, support local programs, or learn more about how SBVPs operate.

This study is a cost-benefit analysis examining an urban district's partial school nurse coverage conversion to full-time coverage. Through a partnership with a health care system, the district received funding, resulting in the hiring of full-time nurses to cover all K-8 elementary schools. Researchers compared the cost of nursing services to the savings in teacher, secretary, principal, and parent productivity, reduced medical procedure costs, and grants nurses managed. The year before implementing additional nurses, the return on investment (ROI) to the community for nursing services was calculated to be $1.59 for every dollar invested in schools with full-time coverage and $1.29 for schools with partial coverage. After implementing full-time nurses in each school, there was an ROI of $1.50 during the 2015-2016 school year, $1.64 for 2016-2017, and $1.67 for 2017-2018. The analysis provides evidence that full-time coverage could result in a positive ROI for schools and the community.

The National School Nurse Workforce Study 2.0 describes the demographic characteristics and distribution patterns, school nursing models and activities, and practice environment among self-reported public school nurses in the United States. A random sample of U.S. public schools was surveyed, stratified by region, school level, and urban/rural locale. A total of 2,827 schools responded, yielding a 38.1% response rate. Using these data, we estimate 78,869 full-time equivalents of school nurses, with 65,052 registered nurses (RN) and 13,817 licensed practical/vocational nurses (LPN/LVN). Findings indicate school nurse distribution differences by region, locale, and income. The predominant model of school nursing practice was the RN only, followed by the RN and LPN model. In general, school nurse respondents felt supported by school staff and parents. Less than half of survey respondents stated they were supervised by an RN. Research, policy, and school nursing practice implications are discussed.