PERCEPTIONS OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL NURSES REGARDING THEIR ROLE IN MANAGING CHILDREN WITH DIABETES

Abstract

Udoh, Iboro. Perceptions of Elementary School Nurses regarding their Role in Managing Children with Diabetes. Doctor of Education (Executive Educational Leadership), May, 2020, Houston Baptist University, Houston, Texas. Purpose An estimated 200,000 children and adolescents under the age of 18 are diagnosed with diabetes. The management of school children with diabetes requires that the school nurse has the expertise, knowledge, and statutory authority to address the health care needs of students in a school setting. The school nurse must also be aware of the treatment options available: weight control, nutrition, physical activity, and medication choices. Guided by the health belief model, the purpose of this study was to describe the perceptions of elementary school nurses regarding their role in managing children with diabetes. Methodology Volunteer school nurses from a suburban Southeast Texas school district provided data for the study. Six school nurses completed face-to-face, in-depth interviews, which were digitally recorded and transcribed for analysis to answer three research questions. Findings Based on the study’s findings, overall, four main themes emerged from the thematic analysis and were used to concentrate on the three research questions: (a) Communication (b) Education (c) Management (d) Perceived Barriers. Findings from this study provided insight into how the school nurses perceive their roles and how they cared for children with diabetes. Conclusions The findings indicate a need for more nurses within school districts to better accommodate students who require care for both acute diseases and chronic diseases such as diabetes. Policy makers and school leaders in Southeast Texas may use findings from this study to improve school nursing in all school districts. Therefore, school leaders must display a sense of urgency to support school nurses by providing professional development, equipping the nurses with essential tools, and hiring more school nurses to reduce the school nurse to student ratio. KEY WORDS: Perceptions, School Nurse, Diabetes, Management, Children