Exploring the experiences of secondary school nurses who encounter young people with mental health problems: A grounded theory study

Abstract

This grounded theory study explored the work public sector secondary school nurses in Western Australia undertake with young people experiencing mental health problems. The barriers and facilitators school nurses encountered were also investigated. The study concluded that school nurses are highly engaged with young people experiencing mental health problems and perceived this to be a very important part of their role. Nurses reported that their main concern was the acuity and complexity of the work, together with the emotional impact.