Parents' and teachers' expectations of school nurse roles: A scale development study.
Ayla Bayik Temel, Julide Gulizar Yildirim, Asli Kalkim and 2 others
PMID 31406757WHAT IT FOUND
Parents and teachers in Turkey expect school nurses to prioritize first aid and emergency care over health education or research.
The new scale confirms these expectations but highlights a gap: nurses are often hired for acute care while their broader preventive roles remain underutilized.
Key findings
01The 'Care of ill/healthy individuals and first aid' factor had the highest mean score (8.85), indicating this is the role parents and teachers expect most from school nurses.
02The 'Protect and improve health' factor had the lowest mean score (6.82), suggesting expectations for broader health promotion are lower than for acute care.
03The study developed a valid and reliable scale to measure these expectations, with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.863 for the total scale.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The sample was limited to parents and teachers in İzmir, Turkey, so findings may not generalize to other regions or countries. The study did not include school nurses' own perceptions of their roles, only those of the families and educators they serve. Self-reported expectations may not reflect actual behaviors or needs in a crisis situation.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that high expectations for first aid mean school nurses should neglect health promotion. The scale measures perceived expectations, not clinical best practice or the full scope of the nursing role.