Workplace Factors and School Nurses’ Well-Being
Open Access DepositedA Qualitative Case Study
A Qualitative Case Study This study explored workplace factors affecting psychological well-being of school nurses, an area often overlooked outside the COVID-19 context. While research has highlighted burnout, fatigue, and poor health among nurses, most studies have focused on hospital settings. Using a collective case study design, data were collected from 26 school nurses across four U.S. regions through questionnaires, interviews, journal entries, and workplace documents. Guided by the Neuman systems model, the study explored intrapersonal, interpersonal, and extrapersonal stressors. Sociodemographic data were analyzed descriptively, while qualitative data were coded and thematically categorized to understand the challenges school nurses face and their impact on well-being. The study sample represented 13 states. The participants were all female, predominantly White (92.31%) and non-Hispanic (100%). Most were aged 44 or younger (57.7%), held a bachelor’s degree (61.54%), worked full-time (100%), had under 10 years of experience (73.08%), served over 500 students (69.3%), and earned $60,000 or less (57.7%). Emerging themes reflected factors that both promote and impede school nurses’ psychological well-being
Neuman systems model, school nurse, well-being, workplace factors
team membership, role clarity, professional recognition, flexibility, and “because of the kids.” Interpersonal and extrapersonal factors, as defined by the Neuman systems model, were found to impact their psychological well-being. A post hoc analysis explored well-being themes and sociodemographic variables by age, salary, region, experience, and student caseload among school nurses. School nurses faced challenges related to workplace support, team inclusion, professional recognition, and role clarity. However, work-life balance and student connections enhanced their well-being. Findings revealed inconsistencies in school nurse roles and responsibilities, suggesting that standardizing job descriptions and guidelines could resolve the confusion around what school nurses can and should do. Additionally, nurse leaders can foster a school culture that recognizes and respects the work of the school nurse and their well-being. Future research should focus on developing instruments to assess school nurse well-being and conducting quantitative studies on their psychological health to better inform policies and practices supporting their role in educational settings. Key words
Abstract of the DissertationWorkplace Factors and School Nurses’ Well-Being
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