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
