Swedish school nurses' experience of identifying students who are exposed to violence – a qualitative study

Abstract

Aim: This study aims to describe how school nurses identify students who are being exposed to violence. Design: The study has a qualitative design focusing on illuminating the meanings embodied in lived experiences Method: Fourteen qualitative interviews with school nurses were conducted and a descriptive qualitative meaning analysis was used to cast light on the phenomenon. The COREQ checklist was used to ensure trustworthiness. Results: Four themes were highlighted: opportunity in the health dialogue, necessity to create and prove trustworthiness, cooperation with other professionals, and awareness of factors that could complicate reporting exposure to violence. The study provided new insights such as the school nurse having an important role in the identification of students exposed to violence. It is important that school nurses have an open approach and are systematic in the health dialogue, using questions about violence to create opportunities for students to talk about their living conditions.