Redesigning a school health workforce for a new health care environment: training school nurses as nurse practitioners.

Diminishing financial resources for school health dictate the most efficient possible deployment of the school health workforce. School nurses trained as nurse practitioners could help resolve the common problems of ready access to and appropriate use of primary care, early detection of potentially costly medical problems, and efficient use of school health staff. To determine how best to use existing resources to meet the increasingly varied and complex health care needs of children and adolescents, a pilot project was conducted in Denver from 1994 to 1996. With physician back-up and health aide support, school nurses were trained as nurse practitioners to provide in-school diagnostic and treatment services. Based on their evaluation study of this pilot project, the authors suggest ways to solve problems in role transition, including well-balanced training; clear role definition and assignment of responsibilities; appropriate back-up and mentoring support; and issues of sustaining long-term programs.