Relentless School Nurse

MARCH 7, 2025

Sharing an important letter (linked here), signed by the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) along with 64 organizations and allies of the Medicaid in Schools Coalition. It was submitted to Congress on February 17, 2025, as an urgent appeal to our lawmakers to protect Medicaid from the proposed cuts. Medicaid plays a vital role in supporting the health and educational success of vulnerable children, particularly those with disabilities and those living in poverty.

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Relentless School Nurse

MARCH 2, 2025

Empowering Healthcare Professionals to Combat Gun Violence A New Resource from Brady’s This Is Our Lane Campaign As a nurse, I’ve always believed in the power of education and prevention. Today, I’m thrilled to share an initiative that aligns perfectly with these public health principles. Brady’s This Is Our Lane campaign has just released a groundbreaking resource guide titled “How to Talk to Patients About Gun Access and Safety.” This guide serves as avital

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Relentless School Nurse

FEBRUARY 27, 2025

The Baltimore Sun recently published READERS COMMENTARY , New Health Secretary’s Promises Don’t Add Up, co-authored by Timothy Holtz, MD, and Teri Mills, RN serves as a critical response to Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s confirmation as the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). Their concerns stem from Kennedy’s history of promoting conspiracy theories and undermining public health systems, which they aptly document will have disastrous consequences for public health, pa

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Relentless School Nurse

FEBRUARY 27, 2025

CHC: Creating Healthier Communities (CHC) is inviting school nurses to collaborate with them on an important initiative a storytelling series that they hope will inspire action to protect and strengthen Medicaid at this critical time. CHC is deeply concerned about proposed Medicaid cuts that could jeopardize the health of millions of Americans, especially children.

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Relentless School Nurse

FEBRUARY 22, 2025

Click to view slideshow. Jill Yacu’s transition into a content creator role at MacGill School Nurse Supplies was driven by her extensive experience as a school nurse and her desire to make a broader impact on our profession. Jill found herself at a crossroads during the COVID-19 pandemic, which highlighted the critical yet under-resourced role of school nurses.

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Relentless School Nurse

FEBRUARY 18, 2025

Mrs. Palo School nurse Mandy Palo, known on TikTok as Mrs. Palo , has carved out a unique niche for herself in the digital world, blending her professional expertise with the vibrant, engaging format of social media. Her venture into social media began with an Instagram account to share school nursing tips, but it was TikTok that truly captured her attention.

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Relentless School Nurse

FEBRUARY 8, 2025

As healthcare professionals, we face a critical juncture in addressing firearm injuries and fatalities. The “This Is Our Lane” initiative is urgently seeking your input to strengthen efforts in gun violence prevention. This Is Our Lane was created with this purpose in minda resource and advocacy initiative aimed at equipping healthcare providers to address gun violence prevention as a public health issue.

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Relentless School Nurse

FEBRUARY 7, 2025

“Caring in Crisis,” an insightful essay on the current state of school nursing was written by Jill Yacu. Jill is a registered nurse and content creator for MacGill School Nurse Supplies. She is a regular contributor to The Pulse, MacGill’s weekly newsletter for school nurses. Jill’s essay explores the paradoxical nature of school nursing today.

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Relentless School Nurse

JANUARY 31, 2025

In the shadows of America’s immigration enforcement policies, a silent crisis is unfolding, affecting the most vulnerable members of our society – children. The devastating impact of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids on our students’ physical and mental health is happening in real-time. An article from Visa Verge sheds light on this pressing issue, revealing the deep, lasting scars left on children caught in the crossfire of immigration enforcement actions.

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Relentless School Nurse

JANUARY 25, 2025

I’m honored to share a recently published article in JAMA Health Forum, “ Role of School Nurses in the Health and Education of Children, “ co-authored with my esteemed colleagues Rosa M. Gonzalez-Guarda, PhD, MPH, RN, and Elizabeth Dickson, PhD, RN. Published on January 23, 2025, our open-access article explores the critical role of school nurses in promoting student health and academic success.

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Relentless School Nurse

JANUARY 20, 2025

I was struggling this morning friends, feeling so depleted and concerned about what is about to happen today, January 20, 2025, as the new administration takes hold with unparalleled power. The painful irony of this Inauguration Day coinciding with MLK Day 2025 serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing struggle for racial and social justice. The landscape of education and community support is changing rapidly, and my school district, along with many others, finds itself at a critical intersectio

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Relentless School Nurse

JANUARY 15, 2025

Calling all dedicated school nurses committed to serving historically marginalized communities! The National Board of Certification for School Nurses (NBCSN) has an incredible opportunity that could transform your professional journey in 2025. The NBCSN 2025 Scholarship Program is a groundbreaking initiative designed to support diverse school nursing professionals or those who serve marginalized school communities and are committed to excellence and representation in healthcare education.

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Relentless School Nurse

JANUARY 14, 2025

The latest Gallup poll on public trust and ethical perceptions of U.S. professions reveals both stability and shifting attitudes. Nurses once again lead as the most trusted profession, with 76% of Americans rating their honesty and ethical standards as “very high” or “high.” This marks the 23rd consecutive year they have held the top spot, underscoring enduring public confidence in their integrity and dedication to patient care.

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Relentless School Nurse

JANUARY 8, 2025

Today, we are faced with a profound choice: do we continue with the status quo, marked by pain, disconnection, and division? Or do we choose a different pathone of joy, health, and fulfillment, where we turn toward each other instead of away from each other; where we choose love over fear; where we recognize community as the irreplaceable foundation for our well-being?

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Relentless School Nurse

JANUARY 4, 2025

Alcohol consumption is the third leading preventable cause of cancer in the United States, after tobacco and obesity. – U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, MD A Surgeon General’s Advisory is a powerful and authoritative public health communication tool designed to address urgent health issues facing the American people. These statements serve multiple crucial purposes: they raise immediate awareness about critical public health challenges, provide actionable recommendations for i

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Relentless School Nurse

JANUARY 2, 2025

The inspiration for integrating music into school health offices came to life during a conversation with Eileen Gavin, President of the New Jersey State School Nurses Association. Eileen shared her innovative approach of playing Disney tunes in her health office, transforming what is often a stressful environment into a joyful and comforting space that students genuinely appreciate.

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Relentless School Nurse

DECEMBER 29, 2024

Embracing Support Over Resilience in School Nursing I dream of never being called resilient again. Im exhausted by strength. I want ease. I want support. I want softness. I dont want to be patted on the back for how well I take a hit. Or for how many. – Zandashe L’Orelia Brown This powerful quote captures the weariness of those who have spent too long shouldering burdens without reprieve, and it resonates deeply with the role of a school nurse.

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Relentless School Nurse

DECEMBER 27, 2024

As we wrap up 2024, Im grateful and amazed at how far we’ve come together through The Relentless School Nurse blog. We are approaching 500,000 visitors since the journey began in July 2017. These numbers represent countless conversations, shared experiences, and moments of connection that have brought us closer as a community. This success isn’t mine alone it is a collective effort, thanks to you, an incredible community of readers and contributors.

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Relentless School Nurse

DECEMBER 21, 2024

“The Senate finally corrects a 50-year mistake,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer It happened, the Social Security Fairness Act was finally passed in a nail-biting, 11th-hour vote in the Senate late last night! It is a huge win for millions of public service workersand its especially meaningful for school nurses who have been fighting for this change for fifty years.

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Relentless School Nurse

DECEMBER 19, 2024

From this point on, I will refer to the successful writing team of Donna Gaffney and Teri Mills as the “Op-Ed Nurses.” They are making waves across the country successfully publishing a slew of Op-Eds highlighting the dangerous nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). As dedicated members of Nurses for America , Gaffney and Mills have been using their voices to raise awareness about the serious public health risks associated with this poten

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Relentless School Nurse

DECEMBER 18, 2024

The arguments against routine vaccination are escalating. Just last week, a prominent lawyer associated with the RFK Jr. transition team publicly questioned the safety of the polio vaccine. Simultaneously, the long-debunked myth linking the measles vaccine to autism is resurging online due to high-profile interviews with known conspiracy theorists and leaders in the anti-vax movement.

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Relentless School Nurse

DECEMBER 17, 2024

* As I sat down to write about the powerful conversation between Nelba Mrquez-Greene and Dr. Megan Ranney, the Dean of the Yale School of Public Health, I heard the news of yet another school shooting. This time the community in Madison Wisconsin experienced another predictable and preventable tragedy. A stark reminder of why discussions like the one between Nelba Mrquez-Greene and Dean Megan Ranney are so crucial.

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Relentless School Nurse

DECEMBER 16, 2024

This blog post is a follow-up to the November ask by Judy Doran , the 2023 Maine School Nurse of the Year, because time is of the essence! The Relentless School Nurse: Asking For a FriendWill You Help End Social InSecurity? Repeal Windfall Elimination Provision ( WEP), and Government Pension Offset ( GPO). The clock is ticking and we need the Senate vote this week.

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Relentless School Nurse

DECEMBER 14, 2024

I can’t believe we have to say this out loud in 2024, but here we go: Vaccines do NOT cause autism. Period. Full stop. This fact has been proven time and time again by rigorous scientific studies. Yet here we are, still fighting this battle against dangerous misinformation that threatens public health. So let’s talk about why we are entering an era of chaos and confusion impacting public health and what we can do about it.

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Relentless School Nurse

DECEMBER 8, 2024

Are you a school nurse with a story to tell? Narrative Inquiry in Bioethics has extended the deadline for school nurses to share personal experiences navigating the ethical dilemmas that arise in our vital role. Our insights can illuminate our unique challenges and impact on student health and well-being. Our practice is unique, often misunderstood, and minimized.

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Relentless School Nurse

DECEMBER 6, 2024

ARS Pharmaceuticals is set to launch the neffyinSchools Program in January 2025 , providing eligible K-12 schools in the U.S. with two free cartons (four single-use doses) of neffy 2mg epinephrine nasal spray for emergency use. This initiative aims to address the urgent need for anaphylaxis treatment in schools, where many children with food allergies have experienced accidental exposure.

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Relentless School Nurse

DECEMBER 5, 2024

The Power of Numbers: Why 143 Matters The number 143 represents a simple yet profound message of love, first popularized by Fred Rogers, the beloved host of Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood. For Fred Rogers, 143 symbolized “I love you”—one letter in “I,” four in “love,” and three in “you.” Mr. Rogers even maintained a consistent weight of 143 pounds for decades, viewing it as a symbol of love, stability, and care, values that resonate deeply with our work in schools.

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Relentless School Nurse

DECEMBER 2, 2024

Healing Politics , a non-partisan, non-profit organization, is dedicated to empowering nurses and midwives to engage in civic leadership and run for elected office. Their flagship program, the Healing Politics Campaign School for Nurses & Midwives , will take place from July 24th – 27th, 2025 at Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy in Durham, NC.

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Relentless School Nurse

NOVEMBER 25, 2024

Finally, some positive news in emergency preparedness for schools: Maryland’s new active shooter drill guidelines , set to take effect in the 2025 school year, mark a significant shift towards prioritizing student mental health while maintaining effective emergency readiness. As a school nurse who has long advocated for such changes, I’m heartened to see this growing recognition of the emotional toll that traditional emergency drills can impose on our students.

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Relentless School Nurse

NOVEMBER 17, 2024

As school nurses, our days are a whirlwind of responsibilities: addressing student health needs, adapting to ever-changing protocols, and striving to keep everyone safe. Lately, that whirlwind has felt more like a storm—especially after a deeply disappointing presidential election. The combination of professional demands and personal disillusionment left me in a constant state of high alert, overwhelmed by stress and searching for a way to cope.

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Relentless School Nurse

NOVEMBER 7, 2024

Click to view slideshow. More than twenty-four hours have passed since the election results were confirmed. I have spent the time trying to wrap my head around the outcome. But in the wee hours of that morning, 2:00 am, processing the news was incomprehensible. Amid my panic, Donna Gaffney , a brilliant and compassionate nurse psychotherapist sent me a lifeline at that early hour.

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Relentless School Nurse

NOVEMBER 5, 2024

A final message for Election Day 2024 from one of my fav guest bloggers, Judy Doran. Judy, Maine’s 2023 School Nurse of the Year, is here to share her heartfelt message about the importance of voting. With decades of nursing including 16 years of school nursing, she has a knack for connecting with her community. Judy knows firsthand how crucial this day is for all of us.

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Relentless School Nurse

OCTOBER 23, 2024

Red Ribbon Week, observed annually from October 23-31, is a powerful reminder of the importance of a drug-free life. As school nurses, we play a vital role in supporting our students and families, encouraging healthy choices, and preventing substance abuse. The Significance of Red Ribbon Week Red Ribbon Week began in 1985 to honor DEA Special Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena, who drug traffickers tragically killed.

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Relentless School Nurse

OCTOBER 18, 2024

The journey to revive PACEs Connection has been both challenging and inspiring. Earlier this year, the platform, which serves as a vital resource for communities to connect and raise awareness about adverse and positive childhood experiences, went dormant due to funding challenges. For long-time staff members Carey Sipp and Dana Brown, letting the platform fade away was not an option.

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Relentless School Nurse

OCTOBER 16, 2024

Tales from the Frontlines , hosted by Dr. Candace Pierce of Elite Learning , is a podcast dedicated to showcasing the vital work of healthcare professionals on the frontlines. The podcast also serves as a continuing education opportunity to earn contact hours. In this special two-part series, School Nurse Trends: Tales from the Frontlines , I was invited to contribute my perspective on the evolving role of school nurses and our essential contributions to student health and well-being.

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Relentless School Nurse

OCTOBER 10, 2024

Dr. Jessi Gold’s much-anticipated book, How Do You Feel?: One Doctor’s Search for Humanity in Medicine is a guide for anyone working in healthcare or navigating the complexities of mental health. Psychiatrist Dr. Jessi Gold opens up in an honest and heartfelt way, sharing not only her own experiences but also the stories of four patients who, while caring for others, are struggling with their mental health.

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Relentless School Nurse

OCTOBER 7, 2024

Click to view slideshow. As a school nurse, I appreciate the USPS’s decision to honor healthcare workers with the “Thank You, Healthcare Community” Forever stamp , released on October 1st. It’s a meaningful recognition of our dedication, especially given our challenges in recent years. In conjunction with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the USPS is honoring healthcare workers who dedicate our lives to protecting the health, safety, and well-being, ofte

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