Research award winner: neurodevelopmental assessment of at-risk learners by school nurses and their tools of choice

Deficits and delays in neurological maturation and development are closely related to academic difficulties. Early assessment and identification of children with such problems promote remediation and the prevention of secondary problems. The purpose of this study was to determine whether school nurses in a region of one Western state perform screenings for neurological deficits, and if so, which tools were used, how results were or could be used, and the school nurses' opinions of the Quick Neurological Screening Test (QNST). A descriptive study design was used and data were gathered using a questionnaire. It was found that school nurses do not routinely perform neurological screening on children at risk for learning disabilities. Reasons for non-use of neurological screening tools were: time constraints, role ambiguity regarding the appropriateness of neurological screening by nurses, and lack of knowledge of neurodevelopmental screening. Recommendations for addressing these issues and opportunities for further research are proposed.