Implementing a school-based sleep intervention in the first year of elementary school: voices of the school nurses as intervention deliverers

Objective/Background: Elementary school nurses are an important component of health care systems. However, translational research of their role in interventions is limited. This study aimed to determine the feasibility, acceptability and sustainability of training the school nursing workforce to deliver a brief behavioral sleep intervention and the associated delivery costs. Participants: Twenty-four primary school nurses from the Victorian Department of Education and Training, Melbourne, Australia, involved in delivering the school-based sleep intervention as part of the Sleep Well – Be Well trial participated in three surveys and a focus group over 30 months. Methods: An embedded mixed methods design utilizing quantitative and qualitative data sources was used. Results: Qualitative and quantitative evidence demonstrated training school nurses to deliver a brief sleep intervention was feasible and acceptable. Competence and confidence levels were maintained 12 months after the completion of intervention delivery demonstrating sustainability for this low cost model. Benefits of school nurses’ participation in translational research projects were also identified. Conclusions: These findings highlight the potential for utilizing school nurses directly in interventions at the health and education interface. Further research is required to address the challenges of intervention implementation and to identify policy implications for other intervention opportunities which may exist.