North Carolina School Nurses’ Confidence in Identifying Concerns for Child Maltreatment in Students

Child maltreatment includes abuse, neglect, and trafficking. It is often difficult to discern and requires an educated eye and adequate time with children for early identification. School nurses are ideally placed to be a source of support for children and fellow coworkers when maltreatment is present. This study aimed to answer, “How do public school nurses in North Carolina perceive their confidence in identifying concerns for child abuse, maltreatment, and neglect in their students?” A survey was sent via the listserv of the School Nurse Association of North Carolina (SNANC) to determine the confidence levels of school nurses in North Carolina. The question produced positive results; sixty-two percent ranked their confidence level as either a “4” or “5”. A single person reported a “2” and thirty declared their level at “3.” There is room for improvement in these numbers. Further research is needed to identify the areas of child maltreatment school nurses in NC want more education in, what they contribute their high confidence levels to (such as education, previous knowledge, personal experiences, etc.), whether school nurses can identify concerns for child maltreatment in an exam, and to investigate the impact the proposed new bills may have on the school system, students, and current school nurses.