School Nursing: Early Beginnings and the Unfolding of a New Nursing Specialty

Abstract

The profession of school nursing has an exciting history. Commencing at the turn of the 20th century in an effort to support the requirement for mandatory school attendance, a group of astute women linked the horrific results of illness and poverty to school absenteeism and the profession of school nursing was born. This chapter will help one to learn how nursing grew out of women's position as caregiver in the home and evolved into a larger role within the community. Once women were recognized outside of the home as competent caregivers, they quickly were also accepted as pioneers in the healthcare delivery system. The chapter describes how school nursing evolved from public health roots. It states three ways in which school nursing differs from other nursing subspecialties. The chapter compares today's level of school health services with that of the past.