School Nurses’ Experience of Health Promotion Practices in Swedish Schools: A Qualitative Study

Background The importance of school nurses’ active involvement in health promotion directed to school aged children is widely recognized. Research on school nurses’ experiences of health promotion remains limited. Aim The aim of this study was to describe school nurses’ health promotion practices and experiences within the Swedish educational context. Methods National cross-sectional data from school nurses ( n = 596) were collected through a web-based survey. Narrative data from an open-ended question ( n = 354) were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results Findings highlight how adoption of health promotion activities was shaped by variations in collaboration, resources, and organizational support. Many school nurses relied on their own initiative and creativity to work with health promotion, often with limited time and beyond the boundaries of the regular program. Conclusion There is an urgent need for clearer national guidelines and methods for health promotion, collaborative approaches and organizational support with clear expectations and sufficient time allocation.