Eureka! Institutional Repository

A nurse’s role in the school environment is pivotal and complex, as health maintenance and hygiene within the school environment and individually in pupils with chronic diseases offers mental and spiritual balance that is required both by teachers as well as by pupils. In addition, the presence of a school nurse improves the relationships between teachers and pupils, teachers and parents, as well as among pupils, which is the most important, because it helps in understanding and acceptance of students with health and learning problems, contributing in a smooth interplay between them. The school nurse leads the effort of keeping a healthy school environment and has the obligation to intervene in situations that need the presence of healthcare professional. Regarding the Greek data, school nursing existed in the school units from the end of 1990s, however it was mainly auxiliary to the teaching process. In recent years, there has been a greater mobility and efforts are being made to recognize it as a nursing specialty. In addition, an extremely interesting chapter is the health promotion programmes that school nurses have to focus upon, as it can help the school population.