Respondents were also asked to provide information on the number of days spent on CPD in the year prior to the survey. If they had not done any they were asked to indicate with a ‘zero’. However, many respondents (26% to 14% of independent and 29% of state school nurses) left this question blank. Six per cent of respondents reported that they had not done any days CPD in the previous 12 months (4% state school nurses and 11% of independent school nurses).
Looking only at those nurses who reported having undertaken some CPD and ignoring those who appeared to have undertaken some full time study in the previous year (that is CPD in excess of 100 days) the average number of days spent on CPD was just over eight days (nine days for state school nurses and five days for independent school nurses). This is less than across a cross section of nurses, where the comparative average is 11 days8. There was little variation between nurses in relation to their job title, sector, experience and age.
5.4 Personal training and development plans
Nearly two thirds (64%) of respondents confirmed they had a personal training and development plan (PDP). However, nearly twice as many (72%) have PDPs in the state sector than is the case among school nurses working in the independent sector (36%). Within the state sector, community/public health nurses and team leaders are most likely to have PDPs (nearly 8 in 10). Similarly, more nurses on higher grades have PDPs (67% of those on F grades and above compared to 50% of D/E grades), especially where the nurse holds a specialist practitioner qualification.
In 70% of cases the respondent’s manager/employer was actively involved in drawing up the plan and again this figure is much lower in the independent sector (29% compared to 78% of state school respondents). Other differences are in the same direction as described above.
Respondents were asked to say when they last met with their manager to discuss their PDP. Looking only at those nurses who currently have a PDP (64%), most respondents have met in the last year (80%) and the average time elapsed since meeting is nine months. However, 2% said they have never met with their manager to discuss their PDP and a further 12% did not answer the question. Although fewer independent school nurses have PDPs, those that do are as likely as state school nurses to have discussed it with their manager within the last year (on average, nine months prior to the survey). Nurses who came into post more recently (in last two years) on average met with their manager in the last six months, otherwise there is little difference between groups of respondents.
5.5 School nurse views of training and professional
development
In a series of statements about working as a school nurse respondents were asked to indicate the degree to which they agreed or disagreed with five statements concerning training and preparation for their role as a school nurse. Two of these statements c) and d) in Table 5.2 are the same as those used in the RCN annual employment survey. Responses to these questions by school nurses are almost identical to nurses as a whole, suggesting that, as a group of nurses, there is no discernible difference in terms of their views of the accessibility of training.
Table 5.2 Views of training and professional development (percentages—all respondents)
Strongly agree
Agree Neither Disagree Strongly disagree
N=
a) I have access to the professional training and
development I need 24 56 8 10 2 1271 b) I feel well prepared/trained for this role 20 56 16 7 1 1273
c) I am unable to take time off for training 6 18 22 45 9 1278
d) My employer provides me with the opportunity to keep up with new developments related to my job
10 56 19 13 2 1277
e) You need specialist school nurse training to
Source:Employment Research Ltd, 2005
Three quarters of all respondents felt well prepared/trained for their role and 80% said that they have access to the professional training and development they needed. However, one in four reported that they were unable to take time off for training.
Interestingly, opinion is somewhat divided in terms of whether or not nurses need specialist school nurse training to do their job well (55% agreeing with the statement). Nurses who hold specialist qualifications are twice as likely to say that ‘you need
specialist school nurse training to do the job well’ (80% compared to 40% of nurses who
do not hold any specialist school nursing qualification). These nurses are also much more inclined to say that they ‘feel well prepared/trained for their role’ (89% compared to 70%). Nine in ten also report that they ‘have access to the professional training and
development they need’.
The qualitative data from the open-ended ‘comments’ section at the end of the questionnaire, gave further insight into the issue of qualification in specialty. About one in five of the comments made in this section concerned raising the levels of qualification in specialty, in order to raise the profile of school nursing overall. Many felt that a higher standard (held more consistently) of qualification in school nursing was fundamental to moving school nursing forward. It was argued that higher levels of preparation and qualification would enable service developments, raise the profile and status (and rewards) of school nursing, putting it on a par with other fields of specialist community nursing, such as health visiting. This said, a number comment that whilst they would like to be able to train further, they are unable to because of the barriers described in Section 5.3 (funding/time and so on), and that access to courses is not equitable. Availability and fairness of access to training was a point raised more generally in the comments section.
On the other side of the coin, some respondents (a smaller proportion) felt that there was too much emphasis on academic qualification and attaining a degree, and that this pressure undermines the value placed on experience, skills and other qualifications. Some relay disappointment that the commitment and hard work they as individuals invest in order to cope with heavy workloads and meet complex needs, is regarded as ‘not enough’. To ‘count’ requires them to be working outside of working hours too, undertaking a degree.
As might be expected, given the data presented above, there are some significant differences between state and independent sector nurses in their responses to the attitude statements. Figure 5.4 highlights the key differences.
Figure 5.4 Views of training and professional development by sector (percentages)
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
I feel well prepared/trained for this
role I am unable to take time
off for training My employer provides me with the opportunity
to keep up with new developments related to
my job I have access to the professional training and
development I need You need specialist school nurse training to
do this job well
Percentage
State Independent Source:Employment Research Ltd, 2005
The biggest difference is in their views of whether or not ‘you need specialist nurse
training to do the job well’—61% of state school nurses agreed with the statement
compared to 35% of independent school nurses. ‘Access to training’ and ‘employer support in keeping up to date’, are also issues of more concern to independent sector school nurses.
6. Views of the school nurse role
In this chapter we focus on respondents’ views of what it is like to be a school nurse exploring what provides most job satisfaction and what aspects of the job cause frustration. In addition to the data from these open-ended questions, the survey also captured school nurses’ views by presenting them with a number of attitude statements and asking them the extent to which they agreed or disagreed with each. An overview of their responses to all 27 items is presented, identifying where the views of different groups diverge. We particularly focus on their views of the role and describe the way in which school nurses are managed and supported in their jobs.
6.1 Sources of satisfaction and frustration
Most nurses (90%) offered their views by completing ‘open-ended’ questions about the aspects of their work they most enjoy or that cause them frustration. This section looks firstly at sources of satisfaction, then moves on to consider aspects of the roles that cause frustration.