News

RCN updates school nurse toolkit

A revised toolkit for school nurses has been published by the RCN.
school

A revised toolkit to support school nurses has been published by the RCN.

school

Led by independent children's nursing and healthcare consultant Carol Williams, the update provides examples of best practice, templates for assessments and links to useful websites in order to support and develop professional practice.

The document points out that school nursing numbers fell by 15% in England between 2010 and 2016, leaving 1,208 nurses to support approximately nine and half million children and young people.

It notes the RCN's concern at the inequality of provision and the use of healthcare support workers to cover some aspects of health provision.

'The variable resources in health boards in Scotland and Wales, and the move to local authority provision in England is leading to fragmentation of school nursing services,' the toolkit states.

Case studies

The toolkit puts emphasis on mental health support, citing the 14% increase reported by the NSPCC in the number of children hospitalised for self-harm in the past three years.

The kit explains the difference in provision requirements and policy between the four countries of the UK and includes templates for developing things such as a school health needs assessment.

Various case studies are included, such as one on an email and text message service that some school nurses in London have used to triage health issues.

Information on bullying, sexual health, breakfast clubs, child-to-adult transition support and lifestyle guidance are included.


In other news

Jobs