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Denise A.
Newport, WA
RN, School Nurse
I have wanted to be a nurse since I was a child. I would watch
“M*A*S*H*” and “Emergency,” and then “operate” on my dolls and
stuffed animals. I got a good medical education as a medic in the
Air Force, then graduated from Spokane Community College School of
Nursing. I just finished my first year as a school nurse, where my job is
to keep kids healthy so that they can succeed academically. This
job entails a lot more than scraped knees and Band-Aids. I see kids
with asthma, diabetes, cancer, seizures, heart conditions, and
mental health issues. I develop emergency care plans, identify
health problems, administer medications, train staff, provide
health education for students and staff, and make referrals to
health care providers. I identify child abuse, illegal drug abuse,
and depression. I insert catheters, monitor blood sugar levels, and
counsel girls who worry about pregnancy or STDs. And, yes, I do care for “boo-boos” and give lots of hugs.
Sometimes the only love and attention children receive is from
school staff, which breaks my heart. To be a nurse, you must truly
love people. You must be flexible, have common sense, and always be
willing to learn new things. I love working in a rural area. Though we don’t have the
resources that larger communities enjoy, we get to know people on a
more personal level. I try to encourage our high school students to
consider nursing as a career choice every chance I get. In this
career, if you get tired or bored of one particular field, there
are so many others to choose from.
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