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School Nurse Perspectives of Working with Children and Young People in the United Kingdom during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Online Survey Study

Author

Listed:
  • Dana Sammut

    (School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK)

  • Georgia Cook

    (Centre for Psychological Research, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford OX3 0BP, UK)

  • Julie Taylor

    (School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
    Birmingham Women’s and Children’s Hospitals NHS Trust, Birmingham B4 6NH, UK)

  • Tikki Harrold

    (Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford OX4 4XN, UK)

  • Jane Appleton

    (Formerly OxINMAHR (Oxford Institute of Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Research), Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford OX3 0FL, UK
    Retired.)

  • Sarah Bekaert

    (Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford OX3 0FL, UK)

Abstract

School nurses are public health specialists with an integral role in the safeguarding of children and young people. This study gathered information about school nurses’ approaches to overcome practice restrictions as a result of COVID-19. A cross-sectional survey was administered to school nurses across the United Kingdom. Quantitative data were analysed descriptively. Qualitative data (free-text responses to open-ended questions) were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Seventy-eight participant responses were included in the analysis. Quantitative data highlighted increased workloads; decreased contact with service users; and difficulties in identifying safeguarding needs and working with known vulnerable children. Through qualitative data analysis, five themes were identified: a move from preventive to reactive school nursing; professional challenges of safeguarding in the digital context; the changing nature of inter-professional working; an increasing workload; and reduced visibility and representation of the child. The findings call for advocacy by policymakers and professional organisations representing school nurses to enable this professional group to lead in the evolving public health landscape; for commissioning that recognises the school nurse as a specialist public health practitioner; and for sufficient numbers of school nurses to respond to the emergent and ongoing health needs of children and young people.

Suggested Citation

  • Dana Sammut & Georgia Cook & Julie Taylor & Tikki Harrold & Jane Appleton & Sarah Bekaert, 2022. "School Nurse Perspectives of Working with Children and Young People in the United Kingdom during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Online Survey Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-15, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2022:i:1:p:481-:d:1017447
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Eva Martinsson & Pernilla Garmy & Eva-Lena Einberg, 2021. "School Nurses’ Experience of Working in School Health Service during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Sweden," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(13), pages 1-12, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Veronica Veronese & Gianluca Rossetto, 2024. "The Role of the School Nurse in the United States, United Kingdom, and Italy During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Scoping Review," Clinical Nursing Research, , vol. 33(2-3), pages 189-202, March.

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