I started school nursing 24 years ago.  Interacting with people and helping them in some way has always been fulfilling to me.  When we moved to Delaware 24  years ago, I didn’t realize at that time that I would find a job that would become my passion.  As most new school nurses, I wasn’t quite sure what the job entailed.   Luckily, I was in a new school, with a supportive principal. 

Health Safety Net

    I am also reminded at how fragile adolescents can be.  A young man came into my office, obviously worried.  I began my assessment and quickly realized his mental status was altered.  He admitted to taking an unknown substance and didn’t know what he had taken.  I secured emergency help and luckily this young man survived this ordeal.  He told me several years later, “You saved my life Mrs. Mattey”.  This young man still comes to visit me and I am always pleased to see that he is living his life drug free.

    There are many more stories such as these and any school nurse can tell you the impact they have made on the lives of children.  It is imperative that school nurses share their stories.  Our children deserve a full time school nurse to provide the “health safety net” so that all children are healthy and ready to learn.  School nurses must be treated as professionals and as an integral member of the educational team.

Stories from the field

    It is amazing what school nurses do during their day.  Several years ago, a young man was sent to me by his teacher because he had not been taking his medication.  The student was on anti-psychotic medication and had run out of medicine.  After taking his history, I found that his insurance would not take effect for another two weeks, and thus he had not been able to refill his prescription. I spoke to his mother, and then I called the insurance company to explain the situation.  A nice young woman at the insurance company referred me to a clinic that she knew would give free medication to those in need.  I called the clinic but after conferring with several staff members they told me that they would only give insulin for people with diabetes, not medication for mental health issues.  They referred me to another clinic.  I called that clinic, but the staff at this clinic didn’t know what I was talking about.  I finally called my student’s doctor at another clinic.  After leaving a message, the doctor called me back and was able to give the student enough medication to last for 2 weeks.  I called his mother to relay the information and his mother had to make arrangements to pick up the medication within a certain time frame.  Now that story seems pretty linear in the description.  But I have to tell you, it took me 2 hours to work through the phone calls and messages just to help that young man function in school.  School nurses know what I am talking about. They have all experienced the same situation.              

    I am reminded daily why school nurses are so important to the health and safety of children.  When I worked in the elementary school, a little girl came into my office at about 9:30 in the morning.  She was scratching at her abdomen and looked uncomfortable.  I examined her and found she had hives on her trunk.

     I investigated and learned she had started an antibiotic the day before.  She was having an allergic reaction!  The issue was quickly resolved and I was thankful I was a full time school nurse who could accurately assess a potentially dangerous health problem.

    Another painful episode happened on a quiet Wednesday morning.  A second grade little boy had caught his finger in the pinch point of the door when he had gone to the restroom.  He made his way to my office by himself and waited quietly while I finished a brief phone conference with a parent.  I realized quickly that he had lost the tip of his finger and went into action.  I was able to retrieve the tip of his finger and preserve it for the trip to the hospital. Fortunately the hospital was able to successfully reattach his finger.

Was it okay?

Another  memorable event happened after I had moved to the high school, but the story begins in elementary school.  My first year at the high school brought many changes for me as one can imagine.  One day this very big, very tall young man came into my office.  I will always remember his big beautiful smile.  I recognized him from elementary school but now he was a senior in high school. 

    I asked him if he remembered me and he said “Yes.”  He continued,  “I pooped in my pants in second grade and I came to you.” 

    I thought quietly to myself, ...UT OH... all school nurses know what that can be like. 

    I said, “Did I take care of you?”...and he smiled that beautiful smile and very gently said, “Yes, you gave me a pair of bell bottoms.”  UT OH again......

    Quietly I asked, “Was that okay?”   Again, he smiled and said, “Yes, it was okay”.   By the look on his face, I knew it was okay. 

     I would never have remembered that encounter ten years earlier, but it reinforced to me how important all of our interactions are with children.  That event had stayed with that young man for 10 years!   He remembered that I was kind and had helped him at an embarrassing time.  How lucky I am to be a school nurse and touch the lives of so many children.

Mentors

Louise Hess was the school nurse at Forward Elementary when I first started and I was inspired by her energy and organization.   She loved to go into the classroom and teach and frequently applied for grants to buy materials for her lessons.   She was fortunate enough to have a shower in her nurses office, but I’m pretty sure she never used it as a shower.  When I met her, her shower was packed full with educational tools, posters, models and anything else she had been able to purchase to teach health classes.   Louise was a true member of the staff at Forward.  She could always be counted on to play the piano for the annual Holiday Show!

    Judy Zahnow was another school nurse who seemed to always have something going on.  Judy was a girl scout leader as well, and she was definitely prepared.  She had health educational activities, books and anything else you could imagine in her office ready to teach the next health lesson.

    There are many more school nurses who have been mentors along the way.  We all seem to learn so much from each other.

                      Website established    

                                 1/1/2009

Website developed and maintained by Beth Mattey

Last update: 4/19/2009