Access to school health services: differences between full-time and part-time school nurses

Abstract

This study examined differences in student access to health services between schools with nurses 2 days/week (n = 7) compared to schools with nurses 5 days/week (n = 7). The study found statistically significant differences in numbers of nurse visits per 100 students. Of the 30 health conditions/activities investigated, 28 were statistically significantly higher with full-time school nurses than with part-time school nurses. It would be expected that 5-day/week nurses would be involved in health service activities 2.5 times as often as 2-day/week nurses. However, this study found that 21 of the 30 health service activities in schools with 5-day/week nurses were accessed by students more often than the expected 2.5 times that of the schools with nurses 2 days/week. This suggests a significant unmet need for access to health care services in schools with only 2-day/week nurses.