Research Team
Heidi Cygan, Principal Investigator, RUSH University College of Nursing
Kathy Swartwout, Co-Investigator, RUSH University College of Nursing
Monique Reed, Co-Investigator, RUSH University College of Nursing
Jamie Tully, Co-Investigator, Chicago Public Schools
Award Period
4/1/20 - 3/31/21
Funding Source
Shauna Laatz Seed Grant
Abstract
In the 2015-16 school year, students in the United States were absent for over 100 million days of school. Chronic absenteeism negatively impacts learning outcomes, leads to increased drop-out rates, and poor, long-term economic and social outcomes. Students who attend a school with a full-time school nurse have fewer absences and better academic outcomes than students who do not. The National Association of School Nurses (NASN) recommends that every student have access to a school nurse every day and school nursing practice be guided by Framework for 21st Century School Nursing PracticeTM. The facilitators and barriers to school nurse practice as well as resources needed to work in alignment with NASN recommendations are unknown.
The purpose of this project is to inform school nurse practice and policy by identifying facilitators, barriers and resources to working in alignment with the Framework for 21st Century School Nursing PracticeTM, with a long term goal of improving student outcomes.
Specific aims are: 1) to conduct focus groups with school nurses to explore current practice; 2) to develop school nurse practice and policy recommendations for practice alignment with the Framework for 21st Century School Nursing PracticeTM. Three focus groups will be conducted across Chicago Public School [CPS] that has only one nurse for 1,395 students (recommended 1:750).The focus group discussion will be semi-structured with an interview guide based on the Framework for 21st Century School Nursing Practice. Results will be used to develop practice and policy recommendations.
This study is timely because Chicago, Mayor Lightfoot recently committed to more than doubling the number of CPS school nurses by hiring 250 new school nurses over the next five years. Findings will be used to inform policy that assures school nurses are practicing according to national standards and may be translatable across other large urban school districts.