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Abstract Background As students returned to school, school nurses were responsible for infection control, communication, and the preparation of supplies and facilities. School nurses in the Pacific Northwest US demonstrated a higher prevalence of mental health symptoms in the years since the pandemic began, suggesting that their experience may have been unique. Objective This study aimed to explore the stressors of school nurses in the Pacific Northwest at two time points. Design This study is a qualitative, descriptive analysis of anonymous survey responses collected in June of 2021 ( n = 333) and between October and December 2021 ( n = 284). Sample Self‐identifying school nurses working in K‐12 schools in Washington State were invited to participate. Measurements Participants completed open‐ended survey questions designed to elicit their experiences during the pandemic. Results Four themes emerged from the data: (1) isolation from administration and the school community, (2) COVID‐19‐related workload, (3) disorganized and inconsistent communication, and (4) concern for students, themselves, and others. Conclusions School nurses played a vital public health role during the pandemic. However, their effectiveness may not have been fully utilized and sometimes undermined. Lastly, our findings highlight the difficulties encountered in implementing the changing scientific and public health guidance during the pandemic.
White et al. (Mon,) studied this question.