Abstract: School nurses play critical roles in child and population health. This commentary examines their unique position as healthcare providers, advocates, and educational professionals. Through stories of their experiences, school nurses reveal the varied nature of their work, which expands beyond typical health care delivery and is deeply influenced by the structural inequities that impact many students. Their work is situated within the separate professional environment of education. This contributes to complex moral, ethical, legal challenges—which the authors navigate (often alone) with fewer resources and institutional supports than nurses in other settings. Despite the challenges, school nurses use their positionality as both outside and within the system to bridge the gaps between students, families, and broader systems. Their narratives center advocacy as a professional and ethical obligation that extends from advocating for students to policy and legal change. Their experiences highlight the need for greater professional support and legal clarity and provide insight into the ethical and legal landscape of school nursing and its critical role in promoting health.
Kelly Gillespie (Thu,) studied this question.