There are nearly 300 job postings for school nurse positions in Massachusetts. According to the Massachusetts School Nurse Organization, that accounts for more than 10% of all school nurses in the state.
“There’s nobody to fill the positions,” said Cathryn Hampson, the organization’s president. “I’ve been a school nurse for 26 years now, and this is the worst I’ve ever seen as far as open positions goes.”
WBUR spoke with Hampson to learn more about the shortage, how it’s affecting schools and students, and what can be done about it. (This interview has been edited for length and clarity.)
