School-based Youth Health Nurse
School Based Youth Health nurses (SBYHNs) are Clinical Nurses employed by Queensland Health. They operate out of Queensland state secondary schools. Their main role is to focus on health promotion, health access and risk reduction for young people in Queensland Schools.
SBYHNs work closely with the school and across the whole school community (teachers, parents, young people, community partners) to identify and respond to health priority areas for young people. Health promotion activities link in with the curriculum and help schools to deliver current evidence based services to young people.
Some of the services include:
- confidential health consultations with young people
- classroom health promotion
- interventions and referral to other services as required.
Confidential appointments
Young people can meet with the SBYHN to discuss any questions they may have about their health and wellbeing.
Appointments are voluntary and confidential. The SBYHN will not share any information without the young person's consent, unless there is a significant risk to the young person's health or safety. SBYHNs are mandatory reporters for child protection concerns and provide support for young people if required to ensure their safety and wellbeing is maintained.
In most cases, the SBYHN encourages young people to talk to their parents or carer about their health and wellbeing issues and often will support young people to do this.
There are many reasons that young people might access the SBYHN. Some common examples include:
- Puberty and development
- Healthy minds and bodies – exercise, sleep and nutrition
- Relationships with friends and others
- Managing stress, anxiety, depression
- Emerging mental illness including mental health first aid
- Issues with body image, eating and identity
- Sexual and reproductive health
- Accessing community health services
- Alcohol or drug use, including vaping.
Please encourage the young person in your care to contact the SBYHN if they require any information or support for any health-related issues. The SBYHN can also take referrals from teachers and parents.
Availability
The SBYHN is available for appointments before and during school, Monday-Friday at Marsden State High School, during the school term. The office is in the admin building in the support services corridor.
There are lots of ways for students, parents or teachers to access the SBYHN.
- The young person can self-refer through the student SharePoint page or email nurse.marsden@health.qld.gov.au to arrange a confidential conversation
- Teachers can make a referral using the referral form available on the SharePoint page and emailing this to the SBYHN
- The young person can present to the student foyer and ask to see the SBHYN. They do not need to explain why they want to see the SBYHN to anyone at school. They will be signed out of class if the appointment is in class time.
- Parent/caregivers who wish to talk to the SBYHN about their young person can also make contact via email at: nurse.marsden@health.qld.gov.au
Health promotion and harm reduction
SBYHN Health promotion activities align with the The Australian Curriculum: Health and Physical Education (AC:HPE) External link, and support young people to develop knowledge and skills relating to health and wellbeing issues. This includes healthy minds, bodies and relationships. Health promotion activities are developmentally, socially and culturally appropriate and tailored to the individual needs of our school and school community.
SBYHNs recognise that for many young people, adolescence is a period of exploration and increased risk. SBYHNs support a harm reduction approach, designed to reduce the negative consequences associated with risky behaviours. This may be through educating young people about the risks of certain behaviours, provision of information or resources or through referral to specialised public health services designed to help young people.
Common health promotion and harm reduction areas for SBYHNS include:
- Healthy relationships and respect
- Consent
- Image based abuse, sextortion and cyberbullying
- Alcohol, tobacco and vaping
- Sexual Health and sexually transmitted Infections
- Contraception
Evidence based
SBYHN roles are founded in the WHO Health Promoting schools Framework. External link. SBYHN goals are to understand the broad needs of the school community, and to constantly strengthen young peoples' capacity for healthy living, learning and working. We value the partnerships of education and community in helping us to achieve these goals.
Information, education and services are regularly evaluated and align with the Children's Health Queensland Child Youth and Community Health Operational Governance Plan External link, in accordance with the National Safety and Quality in Health Standards External link.
Always Remember
SBYHNs are not an emergency service, and working hours are Monday-Friday during school term. If you have a health concern outside of these hours, call 13health External link visit a GP or a hospital. In an emergency, call 000.
Link to self-referral form - School Based Youth Health Nurse - Young Person Self-Referral (Page 1 of 6) (office.com)
Link to parent/teacher referral form – click here
Do you have a question for the School Based Youth Health Nurse? email: nurse.marsden@health.qld.gov.au