School nurses and health education: The classroom experience

Abstract

Objective:

The aim of the study is to explore school nurses’ experience of health education.

Design:

A qualitative approach, phenomenology was used to answer the question.

Method:

Sixteen participants were recruited through purposeful and snowball sampling. Participants undertook an audio-recorded interview which was transcribed and analysed.

Results:

Five themes represent school nurses’ experience of health education. Within these five themes, three issues were identified by the participants as having a negative impact on their experience of health education. These were: (1) feeling unwanted by the school; (2) not supported by the school hierarchy; and (3) a lack of role definition.

Conclusion:

These three issues provide important insight into school nurses’ experience of health education and have implications for other school nurses and professionals in the school environment.