Assessment of School Health Services and Perception of School Nurses and Principals towards the Nurses' Role in School of Province 1, Nepal

Abstract

ABSTRACT Introduction: The health-care delivery system that operates within a school or college is referred to as school health services. The primary responsibilities of School Health Nurses are prevention, promotion, health evaluation and first aid, referral, planning for health action, coordinating, recording, and reporting. Methods: A Mixed Method study was done to assess the status of school health services and the perception of nurses and principals towards the role of school health nurses of province 1. The data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire and in-depth interview using interview guide with nurses and principals. The observation checklist was used to assess the current status of School Health Services. Descriptive analysis and inferential analysis including t-test was used at 95% confidence interval to find the mean difference between the perception of nurses and principals toward nurses’ roles. Results: The findings showed that nearly half (47.1 %) of the nurses and two-thirds (66.7 %) of principals strongly agreed that the role of nurses was to assess the health status of the students, nearly half (43.1 %) of nurses and principals agreed that the role of nurses is to perform surveillance programs and screening programs, 43.8% nurses and nearly half (50.7%) principals agreed to evaluate the school environment for health and safety. When comparing the scores of school nurses and the principal, an independent t-test found significant differences in perceptions of some roles of school health nurses in both groups including assessing the health status of the students, providing direct medical care to the students, referring students to health problems. Conclusion: The findings reflected that the nurses and principals agreed that the school nurses’ role is most important for the students to assess their health status, getting immediate first aid treatment and to improve the personnel hygiene and nutritional status. The school principals reported that the school nurse program is highly effective especially for the girls' students because they can express their personal problems openly with the school nurse. Both the school principals and nurses reported that students' dropout rate is reducing, students used to leave the school because of minor abdominal pain, headache, and other causes previously. The students who are far from basic health care services are more benefited from school health nurses programs as it is cost effective and easily available, school nurses can improve the bad habits and behaviors of students because students believe more in nurses'care and their counseling services. The principals emphasized that School Nurse Program must be sustainable and permanent program of country.