Determination of school nurses' opinions toward their works and parents' perceptions of school nurse's roles and health services in Bacninh, Vietnam

Abstract

This research aimed to examine opinions of school nurses towards their works with children and the perceptions of primary school parents/ guardians of school nurse’s roles and health services which were provided by school nurses including the both categories of schools, which had school nurse and did not have school nurse. This was a descriptive study using both qualitative and quantitative methods, with in-depth interview following guideline question for 2 school nurse and school health staff, and with self - responding questionnaires for 580 parents/guardians of primary school students in 2 primary schools in BacNinh City. In the school having school nurse, the number of class room and students was larger than in school without school nurse. About the respondents, there were 53.1% males, with the mean of age was about 37.5 years, about one-third of parents/ caregivers of both schools working for the government and 17.1% were private company employees. The study found that both subject groups including school nurse and school health staff and almost parents thought that it needed a permanent school nurse to work full-time. The findings pointed out 6 prior roles of school nurse, including (1) providing first aid and emergency care for student at school, (2) performing health screenings, (3) managing student health records, (4) providing a sanitary school environment, (5) consulting health issues for students, teachers and parents, (6) providing health education. There were shown 5 necessary activities that school nurse can provide, which included (1) Providing lunch with food safety hygiene to students and teachers, (2) Checking up student’s health and Maintaining student’s health record, (3) Providing necessary medicine for students and teachers, (4) Providing fresh water and sanitary environment, (5) Providing teaching-learning and playing environment for students and teachers. All of these roles and services accorded with the school health tenors of Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education Training. The study also found that, the parents/guardians in school having school nurse know correctly about setting school nurse and health clinic exiting in their children school than in school having school health staff (p<0.001) and they got more information about school health programs from school than in school having school health staff (p<0.001). Besides, the results showed that the parents agreed to support for school health services (94.6%) and 81% of them wanted to pay directly for school. To assess effectiveness on implementing the roles of school nurse and school health services there need to have the other investigation study and the other should study about mobilization of social resources and community participation.