School nurses

School nurses provide medical and nursing care in schools.

School nurses are qualified healthcare and nursing staff with several years of professional experience. They are responsible for the health care and support of children and young people in schools.

Responsibilities of a school nurse

• Providing initial treatment to children and young people in case of injuries or acute illness, for example bleeding wounds or stomachache
• Providing medical care to children and young people with chronic diseases, for example blood sugar disorders
• Helping to include children and young people with special needs in kindergarten and school life
• Supporting information and prevention campaigns on health issues, for example on physical activity or overweight
• Cooperating with school doctors on different tasks, for example medical screenings or vaccinations
• Acting as a contact person for all health issues for guardians and pupils

Multi-professional cooperation

School nurses cooperate and coordinate their services with a multi-professional team of educators, school doctors, social workers, school psychologists or therapists.

Pilot phase from 2022 to 2024

The pilot project ran from 2022 to 2024 and was supported by the Centre for Public Health at the Medical University of Vienna. The final report of the project shows how essential the role of school nurses is for the school environment. They provide clear added value for teachers, guardians and pupils.

Download final report (German, 624 KB PDF)

Expansion 2025/26

There will be an expansion of the project with 40 additional school nurses for the 2025/26 school year, focusing on schools with high needs for health support.

Contact

Should you have any questions about the school nurses project, please send an e-mail to: leitung.pmd@ma15.wien.gv.at