The promises of a new school year are beginning to bubble up to the surface once again. As I start my 17th year as a school nurse, 33rd as a nurse, I marvel at the speed these years have flown. One of the beauties of school nursing is that we get to hit a reset button at the beginning of a new school year. So, here we are again, as the calendar inches closer to the opening day of 2017-2018.
I am sitting in a space of anticipation, a mixture of excitement and anxiety. There are challenges ahead, some known, some unknown, hence the anxiety. But I heard once that if you didn’t feel nervous about a new challenge, then you don’t care. So, we care, especially Relentless School Nurses! What will this new year look like? What can we do to have more of a voice in our schedule, to practice moments of self-care in the midst of the dizzying activities of our health offices?
Questions abound, but rather than listing the myriad of questions, I want to practice creating solutions. I want to hear from the legions of Relentless School Nurses who have shared this blog or reached out to me. Let’s support each other’s growth mindset, rather than be a sounding board for rehashing familiar complaints. This is my challenge, as we countdown to a new school year, let’s be surrounded with like-minded Relentless School Nurses. Create a network of colleagues that stretches and encourages your goal fulfillment.
Most importantly, share your stories of growth, achievement, lessons learned and what makes you a Relentless School Nurse. I would be honored to host a blog post if you would like to share your story! Send me your thoughts in 300-500 words to
robin.cogan@rutgers.edu.