A Day in The Life of a School Nurse

Have you ever wondered what it's like to be a school nurse? One morning last week, Regina Pierce, the school nurse at West Anchorage High School, had already helped one student who had thrown up and another with pink eye before the 7:30 a.m. attendance bell.

On a typical day, Pierce says she sees 30-40 student patients. About a dozen take daily medications under her supervision while another 10-12 are diabetic and sometimes need help managing blood sugar levels. What else brings students into her office? Stomach viruses are maybe the most common, Pierce says, followed by injuries from sports or accidents. When students experience mental health issues, Pierce coordinates help with the school counselors.

What's the most difficult thing about her job? "Being in an office of one most of the time," she says. She's thankful on the rare occasions when she does get an assistant and for students who help as office aides. "It's hard to juggle it all," she says. "There's a lot of kids, and a lot of paperwork."

Much of Pierce's work is health promotion and prevention. She checks vaccination records for all of West's 1,700+ students and notifies and assists parents/guardians if students are missing vaccinations required for school attendance. If families choose to seek a religious exemption, Pierce has to make sure the proper paperwork is in place. Pierce also refers students to a variety of community services and assists students with health advice. For some, Pierce is the only health professional they see on a regular basis.

What does she love most about her job? "I love it when kids come in and invite me to events that are important to them, like award ceremonies, dance recitals or graduation," she said. "I know I'm making an impact, and I go to just about everything I'm invited to."

National School Nurse Day is Wednesday, May 8. Let's thank Regina and all of Alaska's school nurses for the important work they do!

#SND2019

Elizabeth Manning  | Public Information Officer III