Porterville High has welcomed two of the kindest nurses onto our campus! Now, we’re aware nurses don’t get the gratitude they deserve, so we want to shed some light upon those aspects. Besides, as panthers they’d appreciate our warm welcomes!
Nurse Shay
Whats your experience working as a school nurse?
“I’ve been with the district for two years as a school nurse. Prior to that I have been a nurse for 17 years, All my nursing experience has been in the emergency room”.
What is your approach on handling student concerns when they come in?
“I am personal I am positive so the student can stay and feel safe if they have any issues”.
How do you communicate with parents and school staff regarding student health concerns?
“I am more face to face but sometimes I am not able to do that so I will make a phone call but, if theirs something going on with a student then we try to talk to them face to face and have a back to back conversation”.
How do you handle medical emergency’s at school or how have you handled medical emergency’s?
“So before I became a nurse I was a paramedic so, I been handing medical emergency’s at the scene helping the student being positive and reinforcing that their safe, So I just take my backpack with all my supplies in it and boots on the ground!”
How do you stay updated on current health guidelines and the best practices for school nursing?
“There’s all kind of reading, Training, Confidences and just getting aware of other school nurses for an update on something or someone”.
How would you promote student health in the county?
” I think just being aware, If you don’t know what’s going on and you’re not feeling well it raises the red flag you’re not well and wanna make sure you’re being honest about it”.
What songs would you use to describe you?
” I don’t even know! Staying alive by Bees Gees probably”.
Nurse Gennifer
What is your experience working as a school nurse or in general?
“I’ve been working at Berkeley school district for about 8 years and I’ve been in Orange county since 2010 so I’ve worked at peer homes and I used to be a hospice nurse for some time I ended up working for the school because I had kids and It was really nice to be around my kids but it was also nice to do what I love which is being a nurse”.
What strategies have you used to promote health and wellness?
“A lot of education so anytime the kids come up I can make sure the kids feel comfortable with me and I talk with them and if theirs anything they need I make sure I can educate them on you know hygiene things like that and anything they need. Just being here at school I get a lot of elementary schools and high-school so I’ve done a lot of educating”.
How do you communicate with parents and school staff regarding student health concerns?
“a lot of the time I do call parents daily so if there’s anything going on with their kids I can make sure that I talk to them and I also talk to family and the kids can talk as well so that their communicating well because sometimes kids don’t wanna approach for concerns and wanna let you guys know were here for anything!”
How do you stay updated on current health guidelines practices for school nursing?
“I do a lot of reading and a lot of more education. So I do a lot of reading and stuff so education at all times”.
What song would you use to describe yourself?
“describe myself? hmmm that one song by the beetles uhmm here comes the sun that’s the song”.
