This week, we will honor our dedicated and compassionate school nurses. We hope you will enjoy reading these profiles as much as we enjoyed creating them. Remember, there are hundreds of other school nurses who weren’t highlighted here, so make sure to celebrate the ones that you know on social media using #SDPThankASchoolNurse!
School Nurse Spotlights – National School Nurses’ Week
Christine Stevens-Goldhahn
Why did you decide to become a nurse?
I worked at CHOP in an office position, my sister was a nurse, I wanted to work at CHOP as a nurse, I thought for the rest of my life! I worked full time and attended nursing school.
How did you end up as a school nurse at SDP?
As I was getting burned out at CHOP, I heard on KYW radio the school district was hiring, why not apply, never thought I would get hired! Here I am 8 years later, finishing out 2 more years to my 10 year pension with the district and I will retire!!!
What is the best part about being a school nurse?
The best part of being a school nurse is making a difference in a student’s life.
How do school nurses improve the lives of their students?
For example, educating a non-compliant diabetic to make better choices and how health and the impact on school and learning.
What is something you think everyone should know about school nurses?
We ROCK! We are the only medical professionals in the building caring for the students and we make life threatening decisions daily! I would like to dispel the notion school nurses only give out band aid and ice!!
Dorathea Steele (Annie)
Why did you decide to become a nurse?
I decided to become a nurse after going on a health services trip to Guatemala with Rutgers nursing students. We helped to educate rural communities about diabetes and maternal health. It was an amazing experience.
How did you end up as a school nurse at SDP?
I ended up as a school nurse for the district when I found out about the emergency permit process. I have a family member who is a school nurse and she loves it! Her words of encouragement help to steer me into this role.
What is the best part about being a school nurse?
It’s hard to pick the best part of being a school nurse. Each component is rewarding in different ways. I think once I am well established in a school the best part will be the community health aspect. Right now it’s the day to day interactions with students. There’s not a day that goes by that they don’t make me laugh or smile.
How do school nurses improve the lives of their students?
School nurses impact the lives of students by being change agents. Providing health education to students and their families helps to shape communities into healthier places.
What is something you think everyone should know about school nurses?
Everyone should know that school nurses drive population health. We are the backbone for helping to keep preventable diseases at bay by advocating for vaccines, increasing access and ensuring compliance.
Nikki Murray
Why did you decide to become a nurse?
My love for helping others who are in need was the reason I became a nurse. As a teen I would help care for family members and enjoyed doing so. So I decided to pursue a career in nursing.
How did you end up as a school nurse at SDP?
The reason I became a school nurse is because it gave me the opportunity to have a work life balance and still do the job I love.
What is the best part about being a school nurse?
Interacting with the students is the best part of being a school nurse. Although it can be hectic at times, it is a great feeling seeing the kids you care for succeed. It is also great because you are able to work autonomously. You have the ability to set your and run your office the way you want.
How do school nurses improve the lives of their students?
From the little experience I have with my students. I find that my role can be very impactful. I have had various students come and talk with me when they are having a bad day and ask for advice on how to appropriately handle various situations. I am learning that the students have a great trust in me, and with that trust I can help them find their way.
What is something you think everyone should know about school nurses?
School nurses are not just providing Band-Aids and ice. We are here to help prevent illness, give children with disabilities an equal opportunity to attend school, and promote health through education.
Andrea McCoy
Why did you decide to become a nurse?
I decided to become a nurse after working with doctors and other nurses at Saint Joseph’s Hospital in Philadelphia. An impactful change in my career also occurred when observing my parent with a terminal illness. I wanted to understand care for people with chronic illness and disease. These events are responsible for a change of direction in my life with a pursuit of obtaining a Master Degree in Nursing.
How did you end up as a school nurse at SDP?
Working at Presbyterian Medical Center in Philadelphia, provided this nurse with hands on experience in patient care and management of people with chronic illness and disease. While in nursing school, a clinical rotation at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia also sparked interest in caring for children in a hospital setting. Working with Bayada Nurses caring for children on ventilators in a home setting, also sparked a desire to move toward in pursue of caring for school age children. The School District of Philadelphia afforded this nurse with the opportunity to pursue a career and become a Certified School Nurse.
What is the best part about being a school nurse?
It’s gratifying for this school nurse to follow families and their children upon entry into school and throughout 4th grade graduation. As children are diagnosed by their Primary Care Physician, we are afforded the opportunity to manage the care of children with chronic illness inside a school setting. Continuity of care and management of children with illness/ injury in a school environment is the best part of being a Certified School Nurse here at Stephen Girard Elementary School. Another best part of being a school nurse is team work while engaging with awesome educators and supportive administration which contributes to a successful and thriving initiative in school health.
How do school nurses improve the lives of their students?
As a member of the school community, school nurses impact the lives of their students in demonstrating honesty, fairness, and positive role modeling. In my opinion, the school health office must reflect a safe and nurturing environment for children. School nurses also impact the lives of students through education with facilitation of health promotion and disease prevention programs in the school setting. For instance dental hygiene education and the coordination of a mobile dentist can decrease dental caries, which can have a direct impact in permanent teeth of a school age child. Yearly health screenings also impact the lives of students through an approach to combating childhood obesity. School nurses also provide impactful health screenings, such as visual, hearing, and growth changes which can directly affect the process of learning in a school environment.
What is something you think everyone should know about school nurses?
It’s important to for everyone to know school nurses are a vital member of the school community and we come with a wealth of experience which is evident throughout the school year. School nurses are educators, nurtures, and facilitators of health who coordinate with other health care professionals, in the individualized management of children with health related concerns in an educational setting. School nurses are committed to supporting families their children while providing healthcare resources and education.
Rodney Abary
Why did you decide to become a nurse?
I decided to become a nurse in 1991 two years into my college experience at LaSalle University. My mom is a retired CRNA and always seemed to enjoy what she did so I switched from Biology to Nursing. I was part of their first cohort of students in the 4 year full-time undergraduate BSN program.
How did you end up as a school nurse at SDP?
In the Summer of 1993, I joined the “Summer of Service” program… Philadelphia’s project was the ICARE (Immunize Children At-risk Early) program. The initial leadership training for this program took place at Treasure Island in CA where we joined other SOS projects from all over the country. This trip was led by Shelly Applegate, a certified school nurse, who gave us some information about school nursing during the course of the summer program. After that, during my last year in the nursing program at LaSalle, we were visited by Anna Katanzaro who told us that the School District of Philadelphia was actively hiring and gave us more info about school nursing… I knew I enjoyed community health based nursing and thought it might be a good fit. Applied and was hired in summer of 1995… this has been my primary full-time nursing job ever since I graduated and got my license.
What is the best part about being a school nurse?
The best part about being a school nurse is being able to serve as a source of health-care related guidance to students, their families and everyone in the school communities I have worked with. It is very rewarding to see/hear from former students and know that we were able to provide the support they needed to get through their school experience. I have also really enjoyed being able to serve as a preceptor for both undergraduate and graduate nursing students introducing them to school based community health while providing them with clinical experiences that I hope will help prepare them for the rest of their nursing careers. The real answer… I LOVE having summers off!
How do school nurses improve the lives of their students?
School nurses impact the lives of students in many different ways. School nurses often serve as the initial point of contact for many of our students’ health related issues. For younger students, this might mean helping to manage short and long term health issues, providing families with recommendations for health management, and serving as an advocate when needed. For older students, the impact evolves by not only providing what we did for younger students but also providing guidance to help them take ownership and responsibility for the management of their own health-related needs.
What is something you think everyone should know about school nurses?
Everyone should know that school nurses play a very important role in every school community they are a part of. We provide care for acute and chronic health needs while also providing support and guidance (both individually and for school communities) for a wide variety of health-related issues.