397 - Preparedness of School Nurses to Manage Mental Health Emergencies: A National Survey

Poster Number: 397
Publication Number: 397.231

Neha Gupta, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Yardley, PA, United States; Marcus O. Erdman, Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine, Dayton, OH, United States; Paige Chardavoyne, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States; Susan Boehmer, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, United States; Robert P. Olympia, Penn State University, Hershey, PA, United States

Background:
School nurses often serve as frontline healthcare providers to identify and manage mental and behavioral health concerns.


Objective: The objective of this study is to assess the preparedness of school nurses to deal with mental health emergencies based on published guidelines.

Design/Methods: An electronic questionnaire was distributed to a select number of National Association of School Nurses members during the 2021-2022 school year. The questionnaire focused on school nurse training and preparedness to identify and manage mental health concerns such as depression/suicide, child maltreatment, substance use, bullying, and post-traumatic stress.

Results:
Analysis was performed on 994 questionnaires (50% response rate). The majority of responders work in a suburban setting (47%) in the Northeast (28%). 41% of responders reported that “psychiatric/behavioral health” was one of the top five emergencies encountered during the past year. While 76% of responders felt responsible for identifying students with mental health concerns, 5% had completed training through the American Psychiatric Nurses Association.



Responders reported having the following mental health professionals available at their schools: guidance counselors (74%), social workers (47%), psychologists (50%), and psychiatrists (4%). Only 1.9% reported working without one or more staff members.



86% of responders had guidelines for managing students with suicidal thoughts and 28% had performed a risk assessment for self-directed violence in the past year. 58% of responders believed that it was their responsibility to screen students for child maltreatment and 57% had reported child maltreatment in the past year.



21% of responders had an emergency response plan for students with opioid related overdose and 39% stocked naloxone, despite 57% stating their school district/state allows them to stock naloxone. The most common screening method for substance use reported was SBIRT (Screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment) (12%).



Responders reported that over the past year they had screened for bullying during health assessments (18%) and developed action plans to combat bullying (9%). Responders reported that educational training regarding bullying had been provided to students (6%), school staff (6%), bus drivers (1%), and coaches (1%).



54% of responders had in-school counseling or a referral process for students following mass casualty incidents.


Conclusion(s):

Based on our national sample of school nurses, we have identified strengths and areas for improvement in the preparedness of school nurses to deal with mental health emergencies.