Evaluating Standardized Job Competencies for Managing Students at Risk for Anaphylaxis in Elementary School Nurses

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate standardized job competencies of elementary school nurses in managing the health of students at risk for anaphylaxis (SRAs). A total of 166 elementary school nurses from across Korea participated in this study. The tool utilized was a list of standardized job tasks of elementary school nurses in managing SRAs' health. Seven factors were obtained from the factor analysis, with a cumulative variance explained of 68.6%. The importance-performance analysis method was employed to suggest priority areas for training. The factors placed in quadrant II included: (1) "offering psychological support", among elementary school nurses who have been provided with clinical information on anaphylaxis, (2) "providing emergency care", among those who have not been provided with clinical information on anaphylaxis, (3) the factors "utilizing individualized healthcare plans", "conducting health education and staff training", and "evaluating the student", among those who agreed that schools need legal protection to purchase epinephrine auto-injectors, and (4) the factor "preparing a school emergency system", among those with less than five years of experience as a school nurse. When planning continuing education strategies to improve elementary school nurses' management of SRAs, factors such as career experience, access to clinical information, and beliefs regarding legal protection for schools to purchase epinephrine auto-injectors should be considered.

Keywords: anaphylaxis; emergency nursing; primary school; school nursing; work performance.

Figure 1

Areas that should be prioritized for training elementary school nurses to manage the health of students at risk for anaphylaxis. (a) Managing the health of students at risk for anaphylaxis, 1~7. (b) Have been provided clinical information, 1~7, and have not been provided clinical information on anaphylaxis, 8~14. (c) Schools need to be allowed by law to purchase epinephrine auto-injectors, 1~7, and schools do not need to be allowed by law to purchase epinephrine auto-injectors, 8~14. (d) Less than 5 years of career experience, 1~7, and more than 5 years of work experience, 8~14. Note: 1, 8 = assessing priority issues; 2, 9 = utilizing individualized healthcare plans; 3, 10 = preparing a school emergency system; 4, 11 = providing emergency care; 5, 12 = offering psychological support; 6, 13 = conducting health education and staff training; 7, 14 = evaluating the student.