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Title
Japanese:小中学生徒の居場所としての保健室のリデザイン: 地方地域の中小規模校での調査に基づく考察 
English:Redesigning school health rooms as safe places for elementary and junior high school students: Discussion based on interviews at regional middle-to-small schools 
Author
Japanese: 梅室 博行, 斉藤 まなぶ, 島田 美智子.  
English: Hiroyuki UMEMURO, Manabu SAITO, Michiko SHIMADA.  
Language Japanese 
Journal/Book name
Japanese:人間工学 
English:The Japanese Journal of Ergonomics 
Volume, Number, Page Vol. 62    No. 1    pp. 3-10
Published date Feb. 16, 2026 
Publisher
Japanese:日本人間工学会 
English:Japan Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 
Conference name
Japanese: 
English: 
Conference site
Japanese: 
English: 
DOI https://doi.org/10.5100/jje.62.3
Abstract In addition to its primary function of providing initial medical treatment for injured or ill students, the school health rooms in Japanese elementary and junior high schools serves as a place for students attending school and for those who have difficulties to attend school. This paper aims to shed light on the health rooms’ function as “places of safe” and the role expected of school nurses in providing mental care for students, based on interviews with school nurses at four elementary and junior high schools in regional areas in Japan. This paper raises the question of how the “school health rooms” can be redesigned with these roles in mind. Interview findings suggest that the school health rooms serve as third places, assuming home is the primary place and school the secondary place, for both students attending regularly and those facing attendance difficulties. Furthermore, it became clear that school nurses are cherished by students as figures who are neither parents nor teachers, who listen without judgment, and who provide a safe space to talk. This paper argues the potential for rethinking and redesigning the school health rooms based on the results of the interviews.

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