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WORK OF THE SCHOOL NURSES AND HEALTH VISITOR/SCHOOL NURSES
The work of the school nurse is complementary to that of the school Medical
officer and includes the following:-
1. preparation of pupils for medical inspection, i.e., weighing and measuring,
vision testing;
2. assisting the school medical officer at medical inspection, e.g., by obtaining
history and providing details of home conditions;
3. routine inspections of pupils for cleanliness;
4. treatment at minor ailment clinics;
5. home and school visiting.
The school nurses inspect all children ip school every term, in relation to personal
hygiene. The nurses inspections are the basis of the "cleansing" scheme. There has been
great progress since the early days of this work, but even today a small percentage of
children are found to be infested and the work of inspection must, therefore, go on.
Apart from that, the school nurses keep under supervision children who should wear
glasses and hearing aids, and generally see that instructions given by the medical officer
are carried out. This work extends also to the children's homes, where related matters
are discussed with parents.
With the general improvement in social and environmental health standards the
character of the school nurse's work has been gradually changing. Their time is no longer
devoted mainly to instruction regarding the treatment of defects, but their function has
bacoeme more truly preventive and concerned with fundamental health education. The ultimate
aim is to conduct this work in a more comprehensive way by means of talks and group
discussions but, at present, this is still very limited. The best approach to health
education in schools is still a controversial matter. In the meantime, in the absence of
a more organised and formal way of health education the school nurses do their utmost to
enlighten the school children on matters of hygiene and prevention of illness, in their
individual approach during hygiene inspection and whenever opportunity arises.
MEDICAL INSPECTION ROOMS
The Standards for School Premises Regulations, 1954, do not specify separate accommodation
for medical inspection purposes, merely requiring that suitable accommodation shall
be immediately available at any time during school hours for the inspection of pupils by
medical officers, dental officers and nurses. The accommodation for such inspection shall
be well and suitably lighted and heated, and should be conveniently accessible to a closet,
and every room provided for such purposes shall include a wash-basin with a supply of hot
and cold water.
In a number of the older schools medical rooms are not available, and consequently
inspections have to be carried out in classrooms, school libraries, film or other rooms
often In very unsuitable conditions, although every effort is made to make the parents,
children and medical staff comfortable. In some of the newer sohools a medical suite is
included. The Standards for School Premises Regulations have sometimes been criticised
for not prescribing a medical room for new schools, but the Ministry have stated that the
Regulations could not, in any sense, be held to condone unsatisfactory conditions.
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