Analysis of the organization of nursing care provided for disabled children in special education institutions in northwest Poland.
BACKGROUND
It often happens that handicapped children and teenagers need to be taught in special educational centres. One of the specialists working in a special school should be a nurse having appropriate professional and methodical skills.


METHODS
The research involved nurses employed in 36 special education institutions in 2006/2007 in the area of North-West Poland. The organization of work was analysed on the basis of specially constructed questionnaires.


RESULTS
The average working time of nurses employed in special education institutions was 16 hours and 12 minutes per week. In the group of nurses examined, 69% persons have completed qualifications and 5% specialty courses. Nurses cooperate mainly with speech therapists, educationalists, psychologists, rehabilitators, specialists in surdo-pedagogy and oligophreno-pedagogy. However, they attended meetings with parents very occasionally (8%) and rarely participated in staff meetings (8%). Besides, 29% of participants met with parents exclusively in case of emergency.


CONCLUSIONS
Nurses' working time in special education institutions according to the norms or work organization. Not all nurses working with disabled pupils have the required qualifications such as the completed specialty or qualification courses. Nurses working in special education do not fully use the possibility of cooperation with the families of disabled pupils and specialists in the therapeutic team.
Gawłowska-Lichota
Katarzyna
K
Laboratory of Family Nursing, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland. kasia.gaw@wp.pl
Wróbel
Agnieszka
A
Brodowski
Jacek
J
Karakiewicz
Beata
B
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D004519:Education, Special / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004522:Educational Status; D006801:Humans; D010348:Patient Care Team; D011044:Poland; D012573:School Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration*