TY  - JOUR
AB  - Purpose– This paper aims to identify organizational readiness for change towards adoption of a redefined role of the school nurse as a strategic option in the context of a health promoting school approach. This new role is consistent with planned change directed at life habits and life conditions.Design/methodology/approach– A questionnaire based on a modified version of the organizational readiness for change (ORC) framework was e‐mailed to 122 top and middle managers (response rate of 74 percent) in 42 local health organizations in the Province of Quebec, Canada, during the fall of 2009.Findings– In total, 90 percent of participants perceived the proposed role as a solution to fulfil their school health program needs, especially to plan and integrate health promotion projects. The lack of resources and nursing support emerged as factors hampering the capacity of school nurses to play such a role.Research limitations/implications– Additional implications of the ORC framework are needed in order to better address organizational readiness for complex changes in specific health‐related settings.Practical implications– Access to information technology and the development of computer skills would help enhance this encompassing role in health promotion.Originality/value– Findings have the potential to better inform health authorities regarding the new role of the school nurse as a strategic option in health promotion. This study also provides an application of the theoretical framework showing the need for additional empirical tests.
VL  - 26
IS  - 4
SN  - 1477-7266
DO  - 10.1108/14777261211251526
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1108/14777261211251526
AU  - Chabot Guylaine
AU  - Gagnon Marie‐Pierre
AU  - Godin Gaston
PY  - 2012
Y1  - 2012/01/01
TI  - Redefining the school nurse role: an organizational perspective
T2  - Journal of Health Organization and Management
PB  - Emerald Group Publishing Limited
SP  - 444
EP  - 466
Y2  - 2024/04/23
ER  -