Smoothing the Way Into School Nursing Practice

Role transition can be a struggle for new or seasoned nurses moving into the specialty of school. School nursing, a specialized field that entails a scope of practice and competencies very different from other settings, is not taught in many primary nursing education programs. New nurses may find themselves unprepared for their role without a proper orientation, causing them to feel anxious and not ready to care for students properly, leading to attrition. This article describes the barriers and facilitators to smooth role transition and provides evidence-based orientation strategies for new school nurses.