School Nurse Colleagues,
Anyone who thinks the “triple-demic” is inflated in the media should come walk in OUR shoes for a day!
Keep in mind that managing contagious illness in school is one of the original, key skills that necessitated the development of the school nursing profession-we do it well! Even though our public health measures have been downplayed by political rhetoric, continue your messaging and modelling as you would have pre-pandemic. Keep tracking illness in your buildings, and share your data with your administration early and often. When you see a spike, remember our partners in our local health departments want to know. As we all know, most of the public, including those who work in our own buildings, have no idea what we do all day. Own that expertise by using your voice to share the number of office visits, case management numbers, and continue to offer education on prevention strategies during these challenging times to all our stakeholders.
Keep your eyes on the prize…around the next bend is spring…COASN is ramping up to host the 50th anniversary of our OASN School Nursing Conference! Mark your calendars for April 14-16. We have an impressive lineup of speakers, and need your help to pull off the Best Conference Ever! Contact one of our board members to get a chance to be part of the planning and set up. Keeping our professional organization strong is up to all of us. See you at the Nationwide Conference Center!
With appreciation and respect for all you do,
Lisa Fleege