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?
For my Fellow Massachusetts School Nurses, I am not sure if you saw/heard, but Commissioner Riley put School Nurse Day at the top of his weekly report this week. I have not made it a habit of reading his reports before this year, but I have a feeling this was in direct response to our role during the Pandemic. I felt like that was somewhat important, and I only hope that we get some kind of public recognition such as that in future years!
Our commissioner is NOT a fan of our association thus, nothing....
Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.
On 5/6/2021 at 8:56 AM, Mavnurse17 said:
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?
All professions bear the burden of showing their worthiness. (Just be glad you're not law enforcement.) I think if you have an employer who is good at recognizing everyone else, they might need a nudge to stop thinking of you as chopped liver.
I'd be tempted to put up a poster in my office indicating how many more shopping days were left until Nurses' Week.
For my Fellow Massachusetts School Nurses, I am not sure if you saw/heard, but Commissioner Riley put School Nurse Day at the top of his weekly report this week. I have not made it a habit of reading his reports before this year, but I have a feeling this was in direct response to our role during the Pandemic. I felt like that was somewhat important, and I only hope that we get some kind of public recognition such as that in future years!
Yes I saw that and was shocked about it! I hope he keeps recognizing us and remembering all we did this year and every year!
NutmeggeRN, BSN
2 Articles; 4,743 Posts
Our commissioner is NOT a fan of our association thus, nothing....