In recent years, researchers have been very active in finding a positive correlation between students’ educational performance in schools and their state of health. Fortunately, the modern school system provides regional schools with comprehensive health services. Moreover, nurses’ role has become more advanced than ever before, including tasks of managing students’ health and diverse life-related issues. Therefore, nurses positively impact schools because of their integral abilities to influence students’ education and behavior through improving their health conditions.

In relation to the school nursing topic, it is quite evident that different research studies focus on correlations between two important components, such as health and student’s performance. Specifically, being providers of healthcare services, nurses become responsible for what students do in context of supporting their health and how they actually succeed in achieving educational outcomes. Unsurprisingly, scholars have already identified a positive function of a school nurse in developing student’s healthy behavior and lifestyles. For instance, Kocoglu and Emiroglu (2017) have found that school nursing has a direct and contextual impact on enhancing students’ educational performance and their general grades. It is very indicative of how nurses contribute to academic success.

In addition to the main finding, the study has revealed a lot of other interesting pieces of evidence. For example, according to data presented by Kocoglu and Emiroglu (2017), nursing practices in schools have been found beneficial for minimizing negative conduct and non-healthy habits among students, such as absenteeism and low motivation to study. Overall, a big portion of findings is associated with the positive influence of nurses on the academic progress of students. The study itself properly clarifies why nurses should be deeply involved in today’s school system and should be empowered to make top administrative decisions.

Significantly, the list of responsibilities, functions and effects of nurses in schools has been extensionally expanded as compared to the past. Particularly, nursing approaches have become both more personalized to solve individual problems of students and group-oriented to handle team-based issues. According to Aggleton, Dennison, and Warwick (2010), the nursing impact on schooling can be categorized by three domains: (a) working with individuals personally, including students and, importantly, their families; (b) putting stress on the wellbeing of school groups of students; and (c) partnering with the school personnel in questions of administration and decision-making. Formally, it can be said that all functions of nurses are designed to cultivate and promote healthy school settings, which makes nurses’ work more purposeful and efficient within the entire school system of the country.

Despite the fact that school nursing practices are mostly attributed to the delivery of physical and direct care services, the impact of nurses on students can be presented as more complex and comprehensive. In this sense, Kocoglu and Emiroglu (2017) have found that modern nurses in schools are capable to manage students’ psychological health and emotional balance to maintain their physical abilities to perform well in the academic context. In other words, nursing leadership and school counseling are vital elements of the current model of school nursing. As stated by Aggleton et al. (2010), nursing specialists can serve as fundamental mediators and problem-solvers of students’ personal issues, which are better discussed and counseled in private, for example, the personal obesity problem, stress from school bullying, and/or delicate questions about sexual health. For this reason, today schools are eager to hire qualified and highly professional nurses capable to work through inter-disciplined and multi-functional approaches.

In conclusion, it is possible to argue that nurses have mainly a positive and productive impact on schools, students, and the educational system as a whole. The analysis has shown that the nurse’s role has become more diversified, complex and advanced to facilitate personal health and, relevantly, academic performance of students. Additionally, modern nurses are empowered to resolve emotional and psychological private problems in schools. Overall, they essentially contribute to the improvement of major schooling processes and the formation of a positive educational climate.

References

Aggleton, P., Dennison, C., & Warwick, I. (Eds.). (2010). Promoting health and wellbeing through schools. New York, NY: Routledge.

Kocoglu, D., & Emiroglu, O.N. (2017). The impact of comprehensive school nursing services on students’ academic performance. Journal of Caring Sciences, 6(1), 5-17. doi: 10.15171/jcs.2017.002