School Nurse Perspectives on Addressing Chronic Absenteeism

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Education
• Nursing Practice

Background:

• Chronic absenteeism negatively impacts student health and academic achievement.
• School nurses are uniquely positioned to address health-related barriers to school attendance.
• The Framework for 21st Century School Nursing Practice provides a model for school nurse roles.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize the current role of school nurses in reducing chronic absenteeism.
• To identify barriers limiting school nurses' capacity to address absenteeism.
• To explore strategic opportunities for enhancing school nursing practice.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative analysis of interviews with 23 school nurses.
• Data organized according to the Framework for 21st Century School Nursing Practice domains.
• Identification of perceived actions and barriers related to absenteeism.

Main Results:

• School nurses engage in care coordination, leadership, quality improvement, and community/public health activities to reduce absenteeism.
• Barriers range from student/family factors to federal policies, including healthcare system-level issues like poor communication with community providers.
• Insufficient coordination between health and education sectors hinders efforts to combat absenteeism.

Conclusions:

• School nurses are integral to addressing chronic absenteeism through multifaceted interventions.
• Overcoming identified barriers requires systemic changes and improved intersectoral collaboration.
• Strategic initiatives can strengthen comprehensive school nursing practice and reduce absenteeism, improving student well-being and educational success.