On Air Now
The Capital Weekender with Meg McHugh 11pm - 1am
A teenage filmmaker has created a 3 and a half minute video "So You Think You Know Your School Nurse"
It features informal conversations with pupils and students from Albert Village Primary School and Lutterworth College, it sets out to raise awareness and dispel a few myths about the role of the school nurse.
Sharon Gregory, health visiting clinical education lead for Leicestershire County and Rutland Community Health Services, co-ordinated the project. She said: "We want to show that school nurses are not just about sticky plasters, nits and words of comfort. We made the film to help make schoolchildren, parents and teachers more aware of the full role of the school nurse and make them feel more confident about using the service."
The film was made in response to a survey of secondary school pupils in Leicestershire by Connexions two years ago which revealed that large numbers of pupils and students missed out because they were unaware of the scope of help their school nurse could offer.
The film features Catherine Moore, school nurse at Albert Village Primary School in Swadlincote, and Lutterworth College school nurse Sue O'Connor who talk about the confidential support they can offer with issues ranging from sexual health to counselling, and signposting to other services. Teaching staff are also filmed explaining how valuable they find the service.
The video was shot and edited by a 19-year-old freelance film maker, Jamie Mangan, who was commissioned by CHS after completing a number of video projects for Connexions. Jamie shot two hours of footage before editing the material down to the final three-and-a-half minute film. The film has been reviewed by an invited audience of young people at a special Connexions screening and their feedback will help to shape future developments.