While I am a medical professional, I love working in the schools. The kids are the best part of my day, every day. I'm the school nurse for a population of about 500 kids. I average 35 visits each day for numerous things; bumps, bruises, falls, head bonks, broken glasses, potty accidents, chronic condition visits, and just about anything else you can think of....school nursing is a career with many hats.
I build relationships with students through medical visits and classroom visits.
Some students see me every day for medication, some students see me weekly as a check-in, and some students know me from classroom visits and lessons. One of the best visits I get is lost teeth. The joy that erupts from a student when they have lost their first tooth is contagious! I also love to see the change of mood that can happen just from hanging out in the Health Room. Kids come in crying, and leave smiling (well, hopefully). One of my favorite quotes when asking a student what they had for breakfast is, “I don’t always have a donut for breakfast, sometimes I have something super healthy like bacon". They keep me young.
My Project
Students cannot learn if they are not healthy. If something is going on in their body that is distracting them, they won't be able to absorb the information the classroom teacher is providing. Sometimes all they need is a small break with Nurse Mel; warm packs, ice packs, stickers, or caregiver support can go a looooong way with younger children. First, I get down on their level, literally. The rolling stool allows me to sit and perform an assessment rather than standing over the child creating an intimidating stance. The more comfortable they are, the more honest they will be.
Second, I perform their vital signs; blood pressure, heartrate, oxygen, respirations, and pain.
Having tools that I can count on for accurate measurements is so important, and the ear thermometer would be a great addition to the tools that I have. Multiple data points provide evidence that can be used to back up your nursing assessment.
Lastly, I "treat" whatever they are complaining about. This is the most important part, even if I don't do anything...because the student feels heard. Parents depend on me to differentiate illness from boredom, even more so in COVID times. Having the Braun Ear Thermometer would allow me to collect more accurate data to report to parents.
DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.
As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Ms. Mel and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
