Korean School Nurses’ Perceptions of the Scope of Practice and Workload: A Qualitative Study for Developing Workload Indicators Specific to School Nursing

Jisu Seo; Su Jung Lee; Jaehee Yoon; Jeonghyun Cho; Yumi Choi; Suyeon Noh; Hyun-Ju Seo

doi:10.1177/10598405261434603

journal article Apr 02, 2026

Korean School Nurses’ Perceptions of the Scope of Practice and Workload: A Qualitative Study for Developing Workload Indicators Specific to School Nursing

Jisu Seo

The Journal of School Nursing · SAGE Publications

View at Publisher Save 10.1177/10598405261434603

Abstract

This study explored Korean school nurses’ perceptions of their professional roles and workload within the updated National Association of School Nurses (NASN) School Nursing Practice Framework. Four focus group interviews with 23 school nurses from elementary, middle, and high schools were conducted in July 2022. Sessions were held online, audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Five themes and 13 subthemes were identified, each mapped to the NASN framework's five core domains—Standards of Practice, Care Coordination, Leadership, Quality Improvement, and Community/Public Health. This study is the first to apply the NASN framework to examine how Korean school nurses interpret their roles and manage expanding responsibilities. Findings underscore the need for system-level guidelines, standardized workload indicators, and appropriate school nurse staffing models to ensure sustainable school health services and support the professional wellbeing of school nurses.

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Details

Published: Apr 02, 2026
License: View

Authors

J

Jisu Seo

Chungnam National University

S

Su Jung Lee

College of Nursing, Institute of Health Science Research, and Inje Institute of Hospice & Palliative Care (IHPC), Inje University, Gimhae-si, Republic of Korea

Inje University

Kwangju Women's University

S

Suyeon Noh

Ewha Womans University

H

Hyun-Ju Seo

Chungnam National University

Funding

National Research Foundation of Korea Award: 2021R1A2C1093100

Cite This Article

Jisu Seo, Su Jung Lee, Jaehee Yoon, et al. (2026). Korean School Nurses’ Perceptions of the Scope of Practice and Workload: A Qualitative Study for Developing Workload Indicators Specific to School Nursing. The Journal of School Nursing. https://doi.org/10.1177/10598405261434603

Korean School Nurses’ Perceptions of the Scope of Practice and Workload: A Qualitative Study for Developing Workload Indicators Specific to School Nursing

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