The Relentless School Nurse blog has had another strong year of readership and community engagement. We are closing in on 500,000 visitors since I published my first blog in July of 2017. Since then, I have posted almost 1100 blogs and written more than 600K words. I am so grateful to my readers and especially enjoy meeting you in real life. I always carry Relentless School Nurse pens with me, so if we meet up, I have a small gift of appreciation to share. Now onto the most popular posts of 2023!

Drumroll, Please! 

The most popular blog post of 2023 was one of my favorites of all time! It was an Op-Ed written by a husband (also a nurse) in support of his school nurse wife (Nancy)  and her colleagues. The author, Paul Austin, Ph.D., RN, CRNA, FAAN wrote this brief, but poignant Op-Ed in the fall of 2023 to his local newspaper:

The school nurse situation in Montgomery County remains in shambles. The school nurses and their union representative, Local 1994, have tried for years to improve staffing. But nurses remain responsible for the students in not just two schools, but 25 nurses are responsible for students in three schools – some are responsible for up to almost 2,000 students.

My wife, Nancy Austin, is one of those nurses. She has worked tirelessly, testifying to the council and to a State Assembly committee about these staffing problems. And it is supremely ironic that Nancy is one of the 25 nurses responsible for the students in three schools.

This understaffing is not only dangerous, but the morale of the school nurses is worsening.

Parents need to ask the principal of their child’s school:

·      Who is the school nurse?

·      How often is the school nurse at my child’s school? 

·      How many schools does the nurse cover?

·      How many students is the nurse responsible for?

·      Who is responsible for my child when the nurse is out sick?

As a healthcare provider and taxpayer, what is the problem? Is the bureaucracy of our county so daunting that the council cannot make improvements? Will the council step in and take action?

The health of our children is at stake. – Paul Austin is a Boyds resident in Montgomery County.

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I had the absolute privilege of meeting Paul and Nancy in person this past October at the American Academy of Nursing Health Policy Conference. New Fellows of the American Academy of Nursing (FAAN) are inducted at the annual conference. Paul was inducted this year and it was a treat to meet up with Paul and Nancy during the celebration. 

 

Some of the other popular posts of 2023 are:

The Relentless School Nurse: A Grieving Father’s Plea About Suicide in Nursing

The Relentless School Nurse: Don’t Look Away From this Little Girl’s Pain – You Can Do Something, Demand Action!

The Relentless School Nurse: Nurse Holly Shares an Inspired Idea!

The Relentless School Nurse: One of Our Own Needs Our Help! Please Support Sharon Guthrie on Her Long Road to Recovery

The concept of being a Relentless School Nurse is about maintaining an unwavering commitment to advocating for positive changes in the health and education of students, families, and the community. It involves going above and beyond to ensure that students are well-supported and healthy enough to achieve their highest potential. This includes being a leader both inside and outside the school, with a primary focus on the health and well-being of the students, without neglecting our own needs! The idea is to be persistent and dedicated in the pursuit of providing the best possible care and support for the students under their charge.

The Relentless School Nurse blog covered a diverse array of topics in 2023, ranging from health equity and education reform to care delivery and school nurse well-being. The blog emphasized the importance of advocating for school nursing, addressing challenges, and triumphs. The content aimed to inspire and support school nurses in our vital role. I especially like to spotlight school nurses across the country and share your successes and innovative practices. Let’s continue to use our voices and actions to lead the charge for school nursing services in every school, every day.

It has been my personal and professional privilege to bring timely topics to this platform and I thank you all for motivating me to keep writing!