Community health nurses working with education support schools

Who are the community health nurses? 

School health services are delivered by community health nurses (nurses) in public secondary schools across Western Australia. Nurses, who deliver the school health services, are employed by WA Country Health Service or Child and Adolescent Health Service (in metropolitan Perth).

Most families will have had contact with these health services from birth (through child health services).  Nurses work with young people, families and within each school they are based at. 

Working with children at school

Nurses work with schools to ensure that each student’s daily healthcare needs are met.

If a parent or teacher has a concern regarding development, health or wellbeing for a child they can contact the nurse.

Nurses also conduct Children in Care assessments for children in the care of Department of Communities. These assessments are prioritised once a request has been received by the nurse from the Department of Communities.

Working with families

Nurses can assist, if required, in supporting families and school staff with health care planning and management for children with complex and/or chronic conditions.

Nurses are aware of and, have connections with, extended services (such as dietitians, neurology, speech pathology) in the community and can be a contact point and advocate for families to provide them with health information and access to parenting program information as needed.

Nurses also provide whole of school information for individuals and families about health issues through the classroom, school newsletter and school website.

Working with the school

Nurses can provide advice and support to the school around immunisation surveillance and health promotion activities in the school. 

Nurses can assist schools in liaison with Child and Adolescent Health Services (e.g. Child Development Service, Perth Children’s Hospital, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service) and external service providers, dependent on consent requirements.

At the request of a teacher, and if time allows, a nurse may contribute specialist knowledge in curriculum areas. The teacher is responsible for session planning and overall content and will always be present in the classroom when the nurse is involved.

Nurses can provide school staff with advice and support to provide for basic needs and activities of daily living (ADL’s).

Nurses can support schools to develop systems for first aid and emergency health care. This may include helping school staff prepare to care for children with anaphylaxis, asthma, diabetes and epilepsy.  

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