The effect of a training programme on school nurses’ knowledge, attitudes, and depression recognition skills: The QUEST cluster randomised controlled trial

May 17, 2018

International Journal of Nursing Studies, Vol. 83, July 2018, pp. 1-10

Background

Mental health problems in children and young people are a vital public health issue. Only 25% of British school children with diagnosed mental health problems have specialist mental health services contact; front-line staff such as school nurses play a vital role in identifying and managing these problems, and accessing additional services for children, but there appears limited specific training and support for this aspect of their role.

Objectives

To evaluate the effectiveness of a bespoke short training programme, which incorporated interactive and didactic teaching with printed and electronic resources. Hypothesized outcomes were improvements in school nurses’ knowledge, attitudes, and recognition skills for depression.