[Importance of the school nurse's role in the Canary Islands schools]

Today there are more and more children with chronic diseases or physical conditions that regularly attend schools. This study aims to identify the importance of school centers' directors attribute to the school nurse. It has been decided to make a cross-sectional study. So, it has been to sent by e-mail a questionnaire of 20 questions to 635 schools, receiving 209 completed. 65.6% of children in schools have required drugs administration. In 59.3% of schools, teachers have attended at one time any health problems (acute or chronic) of children. 98.1% of schools know the health problems of the students who is in charge. The most common health problem among children in schools were food allergies, followed by asthma, diabetes and epilepsy. 67% of school centers' directors know the guide attention to health emergencies in schools.