Background

With the rising incidence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in pediatric populations, school nurses are increasingly called on to care for and support these students.

Method

The research team surveyed Connecticut school nurses about their experiences, knowledge, and confidence in addressing IBD in the school setting. The team also developed and implemented an online education intervention to improve knowledge and confidence gaps during the 2022-2023 academic year.

Results

Most participants have cared for one to two (46%, n = 66) or several (30%, n = 44) students with IBD. However, 24% (n = 35) have not cared for any students with IBD. School nurses shared their perspectives with three themes identified from the qualitative feedback: (a) limited knowledge and experience with IBD, (b) importance of support at school, and (c) need for interprofessional collaborative practice.

Conclusion

The online education significantly improved school nurses' knowledge (p < .001) and confidence scores (p < .001). Participants found this intervention beneficial to their work. [J Contin Educ Nurs. 202x;5x(x):xx-xx.].