School nurses help bridge gap between health and education

In the Philippines, teachers worry over students who appear to be struggling with health issues and other challenges in their personal lives. When students don’t show up in class, or when they do show up but their minds appear to be elsewhere, what are teachers to do?

Chronic absenteeism, which has a profoundly negative effect on student achievement, is closely correlated with ongoing and/or unmet health care needs. Among the various home and community factors that influence students’ ability to learn, the availability of local health services stands out as one of the most important and beneficial. However, the nature and quality of those services matter just as much as their availability. In most schools in the country, the presence of a school nurse is just as critical.

A school nurse is perfectly in a position to check students who appear to be distracted, and whether this is caused by bullying, illness, family situation, and even skipping breakfast (very common in rural areas).

Traditional assumptions about school nursing—focusing on lice, paracetamol, and band-aids—often cause nurses’ work to be misunderstood and devalued. However, the World Health Organization has found that schools are one of the most consistent and appropriate locations to address young people’s health needs. And as a growing body of evidence points to the complex ways in which health and learning are connected, it becomes ever clearer that the proper role of school nurses goes well beyond dealing with mild bumps, fever, and bruises. School nurses provide direct care to students, including empowering them to manage their own chronic conditions, and work with school staff and the community to coordinate students’ needs. They also advocate for the well-being of the entire community.

A school nurse has the knowledge and expertise to assess a student’s issue and determine whether or not it is a health concern.

However, despite an abundance of registered nurses, most public schools in the Philippines do not have any school nurses. Even full-time school nurses may not spend all their time in one school. If there is one significant investment the Philippine government must do, it is to hire more school nurses who can help bridge the gap between health care and education.

JEROME BABATE
President
Beta Nu Delta Nursing Society