School Nurses Prepare for a Safe School Year

School Nurse, Helen Bailey of Cold Spring, Kentucky, reflects on her focus on school safety at the start of another school year.

Summer IS always too short for this school nurse! I treasure the lazy days of summer spent with family and friends. However, just like the students, I must face the reality of back to school.

In fact, I am thinking of back to school even during my summer break. Over the summer, I obtained the 14 hours of continuing education required for my nursing license. On a more personal level, I maintain contact with my students who have Type 1 Diabetes by inviting them and their families for a swim party at my home. This at-home connection helps the students feel more comfortable coming to me during the school year.

So here we are. Back at school. This year, my goals focus on safety. In July, I attended Michele Gay’s 4-hour presentation on school safety. She was the keynote speaker at the Kentucky Firefighters Association conference. Six faculty and staff from our school attended. We are preparing to present at the next faculty meeting to share what we learned that day.

My number one goal has always been the safety of our students. But now, I am even more informed. For instance, as I leave one building to go to the next for a parent meeting on food allergies, I take the extra second to make sure the door is locked behind me. When I check a blood sugar before snack, from time to time, I will take that student with me to practice a lockdown drill. As I fill in at the front desk for our secretary, I answer the door and ask visitors to provide their name and reason for their visit as they sign in and get a badge. I teach CPR and the use of a defibrillator while making certain everyone has access to our defibrillator on the ball field.

Our school administration and the school board are acutely aware of school safety. Many measures have been implemented to improve the safety on our campus. More changes are on the horizon. I am proud to belong to a team that strives to keep our campus as safe as possible, from the individual health needs of our students all the way up through the entire school community.

I wish everyone a safe and healthy school year!

Helen Bailey, RN School Nurse Cold Spring, Kentucky

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