Community Children’s Nursing News

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February 2026

Assessing Nursing Needs and Complexity in Education Tool Updated

Queen’s Nurses Trudy Ward and Jane Mulcahy have updated the ‘Assessing Nursing Needs and Complexity in Education Tool’, which has been used across the UK over the last 10 years. The tool is designed to be used by registered nurses for any child (mainstream or special school) with additional healthcare needs and complexity of healthcare need in the school setting.

The 2025 review took into account feedback over the years; the changing complexity of health care needs of children and their own extensive experience of using the tool across the UK. The link to the tool and accompanying templates can be found via the links below.

• The Assessing Nursing Needs and Complexity in Education Tool – Trudy Ward and Jane Mulcahy
• The Ward-Mulcahy (Sussex) School Nursing Tool Data Collection Template: Whole School
• The Ward-Mulcahy (Sussex) School Nursing Tool Data Collection Template: Individual

QICN Community Children’s Nurse Network Lead Rebecca Daniels said, “This tool has become an integral part of assessing complexity nursing needs within education settings nationally, for registered nurses. I am delighted to share the published guidance within the QICN CCN Faculty as a source of support, guidance and national standard within specialist school nursing support. Thank you to Jane and Trudy for their continued dedication and review of the tool, with feedback from the CCN network.”