Affiliation:
1. Lecturer in nursing, Ulster University, Londonderry, UK
Abstract
The school nursing service is pivotal in supporting the health and wellbeing of children and young people. The management of this universal resource is imperative to the provision of safe and effective care delivery. This scoping review aimed to critically analyse literature pertaining to school nursing workload. A systematic database search was conducted for papers published in English from 2017–2022 using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) tool. The 20 papers included were appraised using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programmes Checklists (CASP) tool. Four main themes emerged from the literature namely: workload tools, student outcomes, gaps and barriers to practice, and environmental factors. There was no substantial evidence base to justify the selection of any particular workload approach or tool and with minimal programmatic research directed towards establishing the reliability and validity of such tools. Further consideration is required to determine how the tools might inform school nursing workforce planning.