Happy School Nurse Day!
Seeing Nursing through New Eyes
It was a treat going to my daughter’s final basketball game. It was held at a school where years prior, I was the school nurse. Being a school nurse was some of the most enjoyable time I’ve spent in my nursing career, and it was completely unexpected. Soon after my decision to leave the corporate world, a dear friend told me about an Elementary school that needed a nurse for several months, and asked if I would I be willing to help them. I marveled once again how my career choice of being a nurse allowed me an opportunity to work and appreciate a new setting.
What I enjoyed most about this new experience was seeing things through the eyes of the children I met. They were so open, honest, and heartfelt in their comments. Most of the time, they only needed a Band-Aid, ice pack, or have their temperature checked. Very rarely did they want their parents to come and pick them up from school. And the youngest boys and girls never came in alone, they always had a friend that would walk them to the health office and sit by their side.
Being the school nurse, I was asked to participate as a judge for the science fair and assist with some of the labs and experiments. One of the funniest memories I had was when two fifth graders came into the health office and asked if I would assist them by taking blood pressures. They wanted to measure its physiological and emotional effects. John would be the subject and Eric would be the reporter. So, Eric asked me to take the first blood pressure reading while John was resting. Then, they asked me to meet them on the field where John would run around the track, and I would take his blood pressure after exercising. For the last reading Eric said I would need to return to my office and he and John would meet me there later. After lunch, Eric and John came into the health office and Eric asked John to sit down. Eric proceeded to say, “John you know your dog, well your mom just called and… well it isn’t good news… Nurse Michelle, take his blood pressure now!” Good thing we weren’t measuring my blood pressure at the time.
During the short time that I was the school nurse, the students taught me many valuable lessons. They showed me authenticity is the best way to communicate, independence, initiative, innovation in doing their work, and the importance of support and encouragement from peers and mentors. These lessons became more important with time as I’ve continued to marvel at the endless opportunities my career choice as a nurse has provided. Happy School Nurse Day and Happy Nurses Week!
© 2022 Michelle Podlesni RN, CEO, USN Veteran, serial entrepreneur, bestselling author, management consultant and President of the National Nurses in Business Association. The NNBA is the premier organization for nurse entrepreneurs providing business information customized for nurses, insight into healthcare industry trends, mentoring and continued education for professional growth and career development. Annual Nurse Entrepreneurship Conference is July 21-23, in Las Vegas, NV.
