Have you ever wondered how much work is put into being a school nurse? There are many hard working employees that do not get the full credit they deserve. I had the chance to speak with one of the most hard working employees here at John I. Burton. As I spoke with the school nurse, Ms. Shannon, she began to tell me just how important her job is. Nurse Shannon's job begins as soon as she walks through the door. I asked her what her job is as a nurse and what she does throughout the day. In reply she said that, as a school nurse, it is her job to care for the students that get hurt during school hours, administer medicine to those students that need it daily, and to help manage the school's diabetic students as well.
I then asked her what are some of the expectations that Mr.Williams has for her specifically. She mentioned that a few of the things that are expected of her are also expected from other teachers, such as being available when needed, showing professional behavior at all times, and treating students fairly. I also asked how many ill students she sees in one day. The average amount of students at John I. Burton that come see the nurse with complaints of illness or injury in one day varies from about 3 to 4 on some days to about 15 to 20 on others. This, therefore, implies that this job is not for everyone, except for those who truly care for students.
There are an abundance of students sick, especially around the fall and winter seasons. Nurse Shannon stated there is a little stomach bug going around which is lasting from 24 to 48 hours. Students have also been complaining of cold- like symptoms, such as head and chest congestion, but she infers it could be allergies. Nurse Shannon said, "A part of a school nurses job is to keep track of the communicable diseases and contagious illnesses (strep, mono, or the flu). If a student has a fever or is vomiting, it is a good indicator they should go home to lower the chance of the illness spreading throughout the school. These two symptoms authenticate the child has a contagious infection in their body." Nurse Shannon's knowledge and awareness of these symptoms could help stop the spread of infectious diseases. The nurse is an important part of the staff and does a tremendous amount of work to keep the students healthy.