Implementing facilitative leadership to develop a school nurse research agenda in western North Carolina

Abstract

T he National Association of School Nurses' (NASN) framework for 21st century school nursing practice centers care for students within the context of the students' family and school. School nurses have complex and multi-dimensional roles, 1 including prevention, early identification and intervention to address health concerns, chronic disease management, and care coordination including referrals to care. 2,3 Additional principles include leadership, quality improvement, and community public health. 4 However, school nurses are not frequently involved in school-based research and setting research priorities, 5 or have only been involved in research as students. 6 One exception is a collaboration of the National Center for School Health and the National Nursing Coalition for School Health which developed a research agenda using a Delphi study two decades ago. 7 Despite this exception there remain numerous opportunities for nurse-led research to promote evidence-based care and demonstrate the value of school nursing. 8 Amidst a long-standing call to build capacity for nurse-led research, 4,7,9 efforts to expand school nurse involvement in research have been sparse. 10,11 NASN encourages rigorous research in student health and has prioritized the expansion of school nurses' role in research. 4 The NASN position statement builds on early work identifying school nurse research priorities to document their impacts on student health and