The purpose of this comparative review was to examine the legislative evolution of school guidance and school nursing over the past century, in hopes of identifying reasons why guidance counselors have been more successful in compliance to recommended ratios than school nurses. A literature review was conducted including CINAHL, MEDLINE, ERIC and…

Describes elementary guidance in the United States as firmly entrenched in the school systems and generally developmental and preventive in nature. Contrasts Canadian elementary guidance where counselors are serving more than one school; most guidance services deal with crisis cases; and elementary guidance has not gained widespread support. (RC)