School Nurse Management of Behavioral Health, Violence, and Trauma-Related Emergencies: Findings from a Statewide Survey

School nurses are critical components of school-based interdisciplinary teams supporting student behavioral health. The purpose of the present study is to understand the extent to which school nurses in New Mexico across grade levels manage emergencies related to behavioral health, violence, and trauma. The study also seeks to identify which topics the school nurses received continuing education (CE) for, and which topics they consider to be important to their practice. Analyzes of 2019 statewide survey data show a considerable number of school nurses in New Mexico provide management for behavioral health, violence, and trauma-related emergencies, and nurses in secondary schools are significantly more likely than nurses in primary schools to report managing these emergencies and to have received CE on behavioral health topics. Our findings reaffirm the essential role of school nurses in addressing emergent student health issues and underscore the need for practice- and competency-based behavioral health CE opportunities.

Automated summary

This study aims to understand the management of emergencies related to behavioral health, violence, and trauma by school nurses in New Mexico. The findings reveal that a significant number of school nurses provide management for these emergencies, with secondary school nurses more likely to report managing and receiving continuing education on behavioral health topics.