Leach et al. (2025) School Nursing Communities of Practice Supplemental Materials

Qualitative and descriptive studies suggest school nurses can help mitigate student absenteeism. However, rigorous empirical evidence supporting specific attendance-related nursing activities is limited. Therefore, we conducted a clustered randomized controlled trial among 84 urban elementary schools to assess the cost-effectiveness of forming separate online communities of practice (CoPs) for Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) and Registered Nurses (RNs) to improve student attendance. Using the ingredients method, we estimated average implementation costs of $764 per LPN school and $896 per RN school. Multilevel regression indicated statistically significant reduced odds of chronic absenteeism for all students (and a subgroup with chronic health conditions) and practically significant increased attendance for all students in LPN treatment versus control schools, but no significant RN CoPs effects. Findings suggest online school nursing CoPs are a potential low-cost, light-touch approach to reduce student absenteeism, given context-appropriate structure and content-focus, and adequate nurse participation. <br><br>The files in this repository include our NASN Research Grant application (de facto study protocol), R code and outputs for all primary and sensitivity effectiveness analyses, including multilevel regression assumption tests, cost surveys, and cost worksheets.