This is coming on the end of my second year as a school nurse and oh what a year!
Here are a few things I learned in two years of being a school nurse.
- Ice packs fix almost anything. I didn’t believe this but it’s true. Ice packs seem to be a magic fix.
I think what it boils down to is the littles just need to feel like something is being done and what better
way than to put ice on it.
- Care is holistic. I’m not just there to fix upset stomachs, but to help in other areas. Physical
needs are a priority, but emotional and spiritual needs are also important. All aspects are interconnected.
If a little is upset about something at home, more chances than not, I’ll probably see them sometime that
day with an upset stomach. Sometimes all they need is a hug and to know that someone cares. The key
is time. If I perceive that they need a little TLC and have time to give them, I often give it to them with
regards to the teachers’ schedule.
- Littles say the bluntest, sweetest things. They have no reservations when it comes to
asking things. I had one little ask me if I was married. I said no. She asked if I was planning on
getting married. I responded with, “that’s the plan eventually”. Her response was, “Tomorrow?”
I just internally laughed because she asked it with such a straight face. They’re not afraid to say
it like it is. They are also not ones to mince compliments so if they say “you’re the best “, they
mean it.
- Sometimes, seasons are designed to push you but also let you heal. This season came when I
needed it the most. It allowed me to take the focus off myself and my problems for a while. I may not
have been able to fix my TBI on a grand scale but a littles stomachache or headache while working
on myself in different areas. I grew in SO many areas these past two years. It definitely pushed me out of
my comfort zone-in that it was like nothing I’ve ever done but it was also comfortable in that it was at my
alma mater.
- Just because it’s not what you pictured yourself doing doesn’t mean it doesn’t matter. At the
beginning of the school year, I sat in my office hearing all the hopeful voices and I felt deep
down in my spirit that this was where I was meant to be but it was nothing like I pictured 2 years
ago. This was the perfect job for right now because it allowed me to still practice nursing without
all the stimulus and fast pace of hospital nursing. It gave me lots of little success that boosted my
self-esteem.
- Never underestimate the power of a smile and listening ear. Half the time, littles are in my
office for a minor time but they just need to know someone is listening and cares. I treat their
pressing ailment and send them back to class with the option that if they can’t do it, they can come
back to the clinic. Often knowing they have that option reassures them, and they are good for the
day.
- Littles give the best hugs. I definitely think in this season of my life I needed to hear that I’m needed and wanted. After something traumatic happens, you start to doubt yourself and wonder if you’re still a valuable member of society. Being at MCS showed me that I’m still valued as a human being and nurse. Recently, I saw a little outside of school, and she smiled shyly and waved. My heart simply melts every time I hear a little voice say “Miss Walthour”, see those bashful smiles, or receive those timid hugs.
Yes, it’s definitely not as fast paced as hospital nursing, but just as impactful on lives.
Fearless at Heart 