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Vermont School Nurse embraces Challenge!

By Soph Hall, DNP, MEd, BSN, RN, NCSN posted 07-29-2018 15:24

  

Are you a goal setter?  List maker? Challenger? 

I am.  Something new each year.
January 2017: I decided to enter the Tough Mudder Challenge

Those obstacles are TOUGH!  This was the hardest for me—Everest 2.0  That's not me in the video, but you get the idea

I WANTED to get to the top.  I kept trying.  I made it—only after a stranger said –Ma’am, you are going to get OVER the top—six or seven guys stood on each other’s shoulders with their backs to the wall, I climbed up to the top man – standing there, reaching my arms as high as I could to stretch to the 8 or nine pairs of hands reaching down – listening to dozens of voices shouting encouragement--I was able to scrabble to the top. 

Yup.  I got through it with the help of some STRANGERS. 

That’s the visual I try to share with school nurses when they ask “Why should I join NASN?’  We need each other to be the best school nurses we can be.  We learn from each other, we grow because of each other.

I attended NASN in 1998 [San Diego, CA] as a school nurse from Northern Idaho. I remember feeling a bit overwhelmed as I was "new" to school nursing. June 2017 I became President of VSSNA and registered to attend the conference,  records were not found at NASN for my previous membership and attendance so I was recognized as a FIRST TIMER in attendance at NASN San Diego, CA 2017!

Becca, Louise, Soph, Sue, Claire, Mary, Allison

What an exciting time with two other first timers and several “Loyal” attendees.

Will I attend another Conference? "Duh"  -- 50 Years!  Couldn't miss that celebration!

I got to rub shoulders with School Nurse Giants from several decades—Here I am pictured with Nina Fekaris, MS,BSN,,RN,NCSN, current NASN President.  That’s me with Lina Rogers, RN  the FIRST SCHOOL NURSE in America in the group photo (and this cameo).

Vermont School Nurses have worked together as a group since 1944, first as part of the Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation, becoming the Vermont School Nurses’ Organization in 1961, changing it’s name to Vermont State School Nurses’ Association (VSSNA) in 1972, Affiliating with NASN in 1985 and Unifying in 2016, we currently have more than 130 members. 

In the busyness of life, each day can be a challenge.  I get by  --with a little help from my fellow School Nurses.
One of my goals as President of VSSNA is to strengthen the membership--I want to learn from the expertise of others and empower them to share that expertise.  
My personal goal this year is to complete the Certification Exam.
I want to highlight a  Vermont School Nurse success:Governor's Proclamation of VT School Nurse Day 2018

Join me in the challenging world of School Nursing!
P.S.  On August 13, 2018 I will be bringing Lillian Wald, RN to life as I interview Lina Rogers, RN to join the movement based on the Henry Street Settlement for the New Vermont School Nurse Education Day in Burlington, VT. Pictures will follow.
P.P.S.  See you in Denver, 2019


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