Just need a safe space to place my frustration and growing sadness.
This week is teacher's appreciation week, and I get it... teachers greatly outnumber us in the building. Teachers are getting lunches, picnics, gifts, etc. every day this week. But Nurse's week is the 6th-12th this year and NO mention of it has been made at my campus. Counselors got their week, assistant principals had treats and gifts catered in for them, even school clerks got their appreciation day. But me, the nurse? I'm a background character I suppose.
The cherry-- a counselor just sent a school-wide email that reads: "Not only are you the teacher, but the co-parent, the parent, the nurse, the confidant, the advisor, and so much more."
That's funny... I don't recall any of our teachers having any inkling of knowledge about the pandemic we weathered this year; the one that school nurses were at the forefront of. I didn't see any teachers providing sick care to kids throughout the year.
I've been subtly trying to remind a few administrators that our week is nearly here, not in a way that says "hey don't forget to recognize me!" because I think that's tacky, but wow I just wish someone would say "thank you" especially after the year we've had. ?
Is anyone else's school doing anything to celebrate you this week?
Maybe a candy bar and pop treat from admin. I never know.
For me, it's not even about getting ~things~ I just wish someone--anyone-- would acknowledge that I am an asset and the work I produce is valuable. I work really hard to be a good nurse for my community, so it just feels like a kick in the gut to have a member of my team give that credit to the teachers (see my OP)
Specializes in Home Health,Dialysis, MDS, School Nurse.
That's why I loved the banner so much. It was just a big piece of paper they took from the copy room, but I know as all the kids stopped to sign it, they thought of someway I had helped them, or how I was there to help them if they should need it. That means more than any gifts I could get.
I walked into a kiddo sitting in my office before announcements had even been made...I was grumpy from dealing with a difficult parent the ENTIRE day before too.
Imagine my absolute shock and instant emotional mess when I saw a potted lilly plant and a gift basket sitting on my desk from my PTO for me!! I'm not an openly emotional person (I prefer to keep my tears private ? ) so I had to close my door while I went through my gift and just appreciated the absolute consideration that was shown to me today! My campus principal came in shortly after and said "we haven't forgotten about you, we just wanted to spread our love to you on national school nurse day which is NEXT week!". So to know they were already planning and aware is all I needed. I genuinely love my school!
My school does "staff appreciation week" so all staff in the building get the same gifts. My principal is AWESOME! But the district did send out a "thank you" to all teachers and the teachers all got mac books. Nurses got nothing. The actual director of nursing took this week off for vacation....so...there is that, probably nothing.
My school does "staff appreciation week" so all staff in the building get the same gifts. My principal is AWESOME! But the district did send out a "thank you" to all teachers and the teachers all got mac books. Nurses got nothing. The actual director of nursing took this week off for vacation....so...there is that, probably nothing.
I don't get why we don't count, it really sad!
The macbooks weren't for personal use, right? Like, they just got issued new work computers? Because if they just gave them all free macbooks for their own personal use that they get to keep when they leave/retire, DAMN.
On the actual school nurse day (May 12) I have to drive to a school to turn in year end reports - can't make this up. My allotted time is from 11-12 - DURING PEAK MED TIMES - again, I cannot make this up. So if there is a lunch for me, forget it, I won't be on campus. I'm guessing I will get yet another travel mug/lunch kit from Nursing admin at the drop off.
So if there is a lunch for me, forget it, I won't be on campus
Perhaps you could forward this thought to those who can change the schedule instead of being peeved. Nurse to nurse communication about how we are victims or non-deserving do not promote our self esteem
But Nurse's week is the 6th-12th this year and NO mention of it has been made at my campus.
Florence Nightingale's birthday is May 12th. That is why nurse's week ends on that day. Have you thought about asking to put up some kind of display about what FN did for health care? Why she is important..how she impacts our lives today. We cannot expect others to respect our position/work if we don't educate them. I would also recommend you ask for a bulliten board to highlight the work of John Snow. We cannot expect others to respect our ancestor's work if we do not respect it ourselves.
21 hours ago, scuba nurse said:
Nurses got nothing. The actual director of nursing took this week off for vacation....so...there is that, probably nothing.
I don't get why we don't count, it really sad!
Quit whining and make yourself count! Put up displays how public health matters to everyone. If you didn't emphasize it these last 2 years, you missed a great chance! .
The role of the school nurse was pivotol 2020-2021! You could have held talks on the role of public health in a pandemic, what a nurse does, what testing involves etc.Don't wait for them to come to you to celebrate you and your profession!
You could have held talks on the role of public health in a pandemic, what a nurse does, what testing involves etc.Don't wait for them to come to you to celebrate you and your profession!
Hey! Thanks for patronizing me and the point of my OP. I understand your sentiment about educating in public health, but we do that anyway. Why should I have to do something, like hang up a poster or make a school-wide announcement, in order to receive a "thank you" for the things I do on a daily basis? As I said in my OP, everyone else in my school got recognition for their respective "days/weeks." I didn't see an assistant principal make a flyer about the importance of writing discipline referrals and sitting in on observation classes to get their Tiff's Treats. Why do school nurses (and really, nurses in every specialty) bear the burden of making themselves worthy to others of thanks?
Florence Nightingale's birthday is May 12th. That is why nurse's week ends on that day. Have you thought about asking to put up some kind of display about what FN did for health care? Why she is important..how she impacts our lives today. We cannot expect others to respect our position/work if we don't educate them. I would also recommend you ask for a bulliten board to highlight the work of John Snow. We cannot expect others to respect our ancestor's work if we do not respect it ourselves.
Quit whining and make yourself count! Put up displays how public health matters to everyone. If you didn't emphasize it these last 2 years, you missed a great chance! .
The role of the school nurse was pivotol 2020-2021! You could have held talks on the role of public health in a pandemic, what a nurse does, what testing involves etc.Don't wait for them to come to you to celebrate you and your profession!
While I understand where you're coming from, it doesn't sound like you've spent time as a school nurse specifically. We are usually the only medical professional in a building with sometimes hundreds of other adults. Talk about feeling like the odd person out. We sometimes have days where we don't see or talk to these other adults at all. We do not have nursing committees who exist simply to lift us up as hospitals do, nor do we as individuals have the time to put up displays. And with what money? If you spend time on this sub-forum, some health offices are given budgets that are less than a monthly car payment, which is expected to serve an entire student population, FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR! The space you suggest we should request to use is not for us to use, because it is displaying work done by the students. If anything, we could do something in our offices, but as I said before, unless the teachers need tylenol, we often don't see them. We are just so low on the priority list, that I believe what some of the others are trying to say is that why should we even consider the effort?? We put in 110% every day and get no recognition. In what world would we add another thing to our plate which might garner 1 or 2 people thanking us as they pass by in the hallway...
While I understand where you're coming from, it doesn't sound like you've spent time as a school nurse specifically. We are usually the only medical professional in a building with sometimes hundreds of other adults. Talk about feeling like the odd person out. We sometimes have days where we don't see or talk to these other adults at all. We do not have nursing committees who exist simply to lift us up as hospitals do, nor do we as individuals have the time to put up displays. And with what money? If you spend time on this sub-forum, some health offices are given budgets that are less than a monthly car payment, which is expected to serve an entire student population, FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR! The space you suggest we should request to use is not for us to use, because it is displaying work done by the students. If anything, we could do something in our offices, but as I said before, unless the teachers need tylenol, we often don't see them. We are just so low on the priority list, that I believe what some of the others are trying to say is that why should we even consider the effort?? We put in 110% every day and get no recognition. In what world would we add another thing to our plate which might garner 1 or 2 people thanking us as they pass by in the hallway...
Thank you for putting this more eloquently than perhaps I did, LOL.
Not to mention, our entire building has essentially been demolished and re-built in phases this school year, so we were moved from our previously spacious and appropriate room to a literal closet. Not even enough room to space cots out 6 feet, as was recommended by CDC and mandated by our school board. And pfft, they think I'm going to get an entire bulletin board ?
Mavnurse17, BSN, RN
165 Posts
For me, it's not even about getting ~things~ I just wish someone--anyone-- would acknowledge that I am an asset and the work I produce is valuable. I work really hard to be a good nurse for my community, so it just feels like a kick in the gut to have a member of my team give that credit to the teachers (see my OP)