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. 2025 Mar 31;17(3):e81526.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.81526. eCollection 2025 Mar.

Role of a School Nurse in the Management of Type 1 Diabetes in Schools: Teachers' Perspectives

Despoina Chatziklonidou  1 , Spyridon Rigatos  2 , Evangelos C Fradelos  3 , Aikaterini Toska  3 , Maria Saridi  3 , Anastasios Tzenalis  2 , Ioannis Koutelekos  4 , Eleni N Albani  2
Affiliations

Role of a School Nurse in the Management of Type 1 Diabetes in Schools: Teachers' Perspectives

Despoina Chatziklonidou et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

Introduction: Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder and carries the risk of causing serious complications and/or death in the patient. In the school environment, diabetic students need monitoring and support to ensure their health. Teacher perceptions can impact T1D management in schools by influencing their preparedness, support strategies, and response to emergencies. The aim of this study was to assess attitudes and perceptions of teachers regarding the role of a school nurse in the management of students with T1DM in the school environment.

Methods: This qualitative study was conducted in two primary schools with a final sample of 10 teachers. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews using an 11-item open-ended questionnaire. Ethical considerations ensured confidentiality and voluntary participation. Thematic analysis was employed to categorize responses into conceptual units, following an inductive approach. This method, chosen for its strength in capturing the complexity of teachers' experiences and perceptions, provided an in-depth exploration of their perspectives on the role of school nurses in managing students with T1DM.

Results: Three main themes emerged from the thematic analysis. The first theme was Knowledge and Understanding of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus, the second was Knowledge and Perceptions of Teachers Regarding the Role of the School Nurse in Supporting Students With Diabetes, and the third was Collaboration and Interaction Levels Between Teachers and the School Nurse.

Conclusion: The study concludes that school nurses play a key role in supporting students with diabetes, contributing to their equal inclusion in the school environment. The findings suggest that enhanced collaboration between teachers and nurses, combined with targeted teacher training, can promote a holistic and supportive approach to student care, improving their school life and overall well-being.

Keywords: management of type 1 diabetes mellitus; management of type i diabetes mellitus; school nurse; school students' health; student with type i diabetes mellitus; type 1 diabetes mellitus; type i diabetes mellitus.

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Conflict of interest statement

Human subjects: Consent for treatment and open access publication was obtained or waived by all participants in this study. Department of Nursing Ethics Committee, University of Thessaly issued approval 01/02-09-2024. The Internal Ethics and Deontology Committee of the Department of Nursing at the University of Thessaly, during its meeting held on 08/10/2024, determined that all ethical and deontological issues were met, and approved the conduct of the research titled "The Contribution of the Nurse in the Management of Type 1 Diabetes in Schools: The Perspective of Educators" by Ms. Chatziklonidou. Animal subjects: All authors have confirmed that this study did not involve animal subjects or tissue. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work.

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