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THE WORK OP THE SCHOOL NURSES
The Council's policy of filling all future vacancies in the School Nursing Service by
health visitors trained under the Council's sponsored student scheme was continued. During
the year three student health visitors commenced an approved course of training under the
auspices of the Education Committee with the object of taking an appointment on the school
nursing establishment. One finished her training during the year and, like the health
visitors appointed by the Health Committee, is engaged in combined duties in the School
Health and Maternity and Child Welfare Services. The other two will be likewise appointed
when they finish their training.
NUTRITION. Nutritional surveys were carried out on the same basis as in previous years,
and occupied a substantial proportion of the school nurses' time. It has, however, been
decided to carry out an annual nutritional survey only in future. With the continued improvement
in the general condition of the children It is possible that a still further lengthening
of this Interval may become acceptable with corresponding release of school nurses' time for
other purposes.
The Ministry of Education Form 10b M (Subsidiary School Medical Record) was used for
all new pupils with the addition on the reverse side of a height and weight chart which
enables the entries to be made both graphically and in figures.
During the year under review 36,600 inspections were made in these surveys (against
28,899 in 1952). Ninety-four cases were referred to the medical officers for further
consideration of their nutritional state (against 32 for the previous year), but none was
found to be suffering from malnutrition. This is the fourth year in succession in which this
gratifying result has obtained, and fits in with the general pattern of improved general
cond it ion.
NUTRITION SURVEYS
Number of inspections 36,600
Referred to school doctors (nutritional grounds) 94
Referred to school doctors (other conditions):-
Obesity 19
Skin diseases 11
Ear defects 3
Orthopaedic conditions 12
Defective vision and squint 12
Debility 32
Other conditions 27
Total 116
CLEANLINESS. Routine cleanliness surveys are conducted each term. The numbers found
to be infested at these surveys are augmented by others who are discovered at periodic or
special medical inspections. While the onus of cleansing is upon the parents, children
found to be infested are followed up until the school nurse is satisfied that they are clean.
During the year 58,296 inspections were made at these cleanliness surveys and 1,365
instances of infestation found. On the basis of a school population of 29,653, this gives
a proportion of uncleanliness of 4.6% which compares with 6.5% in 1952 calculated in the
same way on a school population of 29,135. This number refers to individual children,
because however many times a child is found dirty in the year, it is only recorded as
one case. There are many instances of recurrent infestations in the same children, and these
Persistent offenders provide the School Health Service with one of its most pressing problems.
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