Izhodišča: V šoli otroci preživijo velik del dneva, zato ima šola pomembno vlogo pri zdravju otrok in mladostnikov pa tudi pri sodelovanju z zdravstvenimi službami. Ugotoviti stališče ravnateljev o pomenu, smotrnosti in o možnosti umestitve šolske medicinske sestre v osnovne šole. Podatki so zbrani s strukturiranim anketnim vprašalnikom. Vzorec zajema 55,6 % (n = 266) celotne populacije ravnateljev osnovnih šol. Uporabljena je deskriptivna statistika. Soodvisnost je analizirana z multiplo regresijsko in dimenzije odvisne spremenljivke s faktorsko analizo. Na osnovnih šolah najpogosteje ukrepajo zaradi akutnega bolezenskega stanja (PV = 3,48), psihosomatskih (PV = 3,42) in kroničnih bolezni (PV = 3,22) (lestvica 1-6). Ravnatelji prepoznavajo potrebo po nalogah šolske medicinske sestre iz promocije zdravja in zdravstvenih storitev, saj je 11 od 13 predlogov dobilo v povprečju oceno nad 4 (lestvica 1-5). Najprimernejšo umestitev šolske medicinske sestre vidijo deloma v zdravstvenem domu, deloma v šoli (60,2 %); najprimernejši delodajalec je zdravstveni dom (59,4 %). Mnenja se ne razlikujejo glede na velikost šole in vključitev v mrežo Zdravih šol. Ravnatelji s šol, v katerih je telesnih poškodb učencev več, izražajo značilno večjo potrebo po šolski medicinski sestri (b = 0,208, p < 0,014), kar velja tudi za ravnatelje z mnenjem, da je usposabljanje učiteljev za prepoznavanje in ukrepanje ob zdravstvenih težavah v odgovornosti zdravstvenega doma (b = 0,270, p < 0,000). Ravnatelji menijo, da se v šolah srečujejo z zdravstvenimi težavami učencev, a učitelji za ukrepanje nimajo dovolj znanja niti kompetenc. Pozitivno prepoznavajo umestitev šolske medicinske sestre v šolo. Background: Children spend most of their days in schools, therefore schools play an important role in children’s inter-institutional health care. To identify views of school principals on the importance, relevance and possible placement of school nurses in Slovenian schools. A structured questionnaire was used. The sample consisted of 55.6% (n=266) of the total population of elementary school principals; descriptive statistics was used. Interdependence was analysed with multiple regression, while dependent variable dimensions were obtained with factor analysis. The most frequent interventions in schools are the result of acute medical conditions (M=3.48), psychosomatic disorders (M=3.42) and chronic diseases (M=3.22) (1-6 scale). Principals ranked the need for suggested services of school nurses highly, as 11 out of 13 suggestions received a mean value of over 4 (on a 1-5 scale), not only in health promotion/education but also in other medical services. The most appropriate work location of school nurses is partly in primary health centres and partly in schools (60.2%); the most appropriate employer is the primary health centre (59.4%). Opinions of principals do not differ according to the size of school or participation in the network ‘Schools for health’. Principals of schools with a higher number of interventions due to children’s injuries expressed a significantly higher need for school nurse services in the school (b=0.208, p<0.014); the same also goes for principals who feel that training teachers to recognise and act upon children’s health problems has to be organised by a primary health centre (b=0.270, p<0.000). In school principals’ view, schools are faced with children’s health problems but teachers do not have enough knowledge or competences to take appropriate measures. They positively recognise the placement of school nurses in schools.