Affiliation:
1. School of Population Health, College of Health and Human Services, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
2. School of Nursing, College of Public Health, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
Abstract
This study is a cost-benefit analysis examining an urban district's partial school nurse coverage conversion to full-time coverage. Through a partnership with a health care system, the district received funding, resulting in the hiring of full-time nurses to cover all K-8 elementary schools. Researchers compared the cost of nursing services to the savings in teacher, secretary, principal, and parent productivity, reduced medical procedure costs, and grants nurses managed. The year before implementing additional nurses, the return on investment (ROI) to the community for nursing services was calculated to be $1.59 for every dollar invested in schools with full-time coverage and $1.29 for schools with partial coverage. After implementing full-time nurses in each school, there was an ROI of $1.50 during the 2015–2016 school year, $1.64 for 2016–2017, and $1.67 for 2017–2018. The analysis provides evidence that full-time coverage could result in a positive ROI for schools and the community.
Reference19 articles.
1. Evidence-Based Research on the Value of School Nurses in an Urban School System
2. A Descriptive Study of Differing School Health Delivery Models
3. Cost-Benefit Analysis versus Cost-Effectiveness Analysis from a Societal Perspective in Healthcare
4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2017). School health index: A self-assessment and planning guide. Elementary school version. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/shi/index.htm
5. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. (2022). Information on school-based services in Medicaid: Funding, documentation and expanding services (CMCS Informational Bulletin). https://www.medicaid.gov/federal-policy-guidance/downloads/sbscib081820222.pdf