Menarche in the severely disabled adolescent: school nurses' attitudes, perceptions, and perceived teaching responsibilities.

Children with physical disabilities increasingly are being mainstreamed into regular educational settings within public schools. Though the nurse has been the most preferred person to teach the child about menarche, little attention has been directed toward nurses' attitudes and perceptions of their functions in this role. This study determined perceptions of school nurses about their roles as teachers of sex education for children with physical disabilities. Responses were examined in relation to subjects' employment setting (handicapped or nonhandicapped/mixed setting) as well as the version of a stimulus story about a female adolescent sent to the school nurse for assistance and instruction on menarche. Results indicate that inservice programs for nurses and school personnel may be developed to facilitate more effective interactions with both handicapped and nonhandicapped children.