The impact of COVID-19 on school nursing: A qualitative survey of stressors faced by school nurses.

BACKGROUND: As students returned to school, school nurses were responsible for infection control, communication, and the preparation of supplies and facilities. School nurses in the Pacific Northwest US demonstrated a higher prevalence of mental health symptoms in the years since the pandemic began, suggesting that their experience may have been unique.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the stressors of school nurses in the Pacific Northwest at two time points.

DESIGN: This study is a qualitative, descriptive analysis of anonymous survey responses collected in June of 2021 (n = 333) and between October and December 2021 (n = 284).

SAMPLE: Self-identifying school nurses working in K-12 schools in Washington State were invited to participate.

MEASUREMENTS: Participants completed open-ended survey questions designed to elicit their experiences during the pandemic.

RESULTS: Four themes emerged from the data: (1) isolation from administration and the school community, (2) COVID-19-related workload, (3) disorganized and inconsistent communication, and (4) concern for students, themselves, and others.

CONCLUSIONS: School nurses played a vital public health role during the pandemic. However, their effectiveness may not have been fully utilized and sometimes undermined. Lastly, our findings highlight the difficulties encountered in implementing the changing scientific and public health guidance during the pandemic.