May 11 was School Nurse Appreciation Day. We had the pleasure of sitting down with Kristel Pfenninger, one of our incredible BCPS nurses, a couple days prior to that in anticipation of sharing on the 11th. You'll have to forgive us for the late post, but we appreciate our nurse staff everyday!
Kristel offers some great insight into what it takes to be a BCPS nurse. Here's her Q&A:
When did you decide you wanted to be a nurse?
I’m a graduate of Western High School and reflecting upon my time as a student, I feel Bay City Public Schools set the foundation for me - I had the opportunity to attend the Health Technology Medical Science program through the Bay Arenac ISD, and my high school co-op experience also gave me insight to additional areas of the medical field. From there, I fell in love with the nurturing aspect of the profession and compassion for wanting to help care for others.
When did you start your nursing career?
I became a nurse in 2007, and since then I’ve had the opportunity to explore different branches of nursing. I have previously worked in the intensive care units, pediatrics, and pre-operative/post anesthesia care. More recently, I truly feel I have found my nursing passion working within the school setting.
What does your role look like for BCPS?
I’m not going to lie (laughs), I do give out a lot of ice packs and band aids, and after this school year, well, I have done more COVID tests than I could ever count! But in all honesty, there’s a lot more depth to the profession of a registered nurse in a school setting. Many are unaware of the health care needs the students in our district have. My primary role is to assist those students by implementing health care plans for management of their newly diagnosed or chronic health conditions. I also care for ill and injured students, facilitate medication administration/staff training, CPR instruction, and review health related policies. As nurses, we help bridge the communication with physician offices and are a liaison with local health departments/community based health programs.
What is your favorite part of this profession?
There are so many things I enjoy about my job. I would say that my favorite part is coming across those situations where you know you are making a difference. For example, connecting parents with resources to receive financial assistance for eyeglasses, dental care or even coupons that allow them to afford an asthma inhaler. Additionally, I have been able to communicate with parents potential health concerns for their child such as seizure disorders, diabetes, and heart conditions - conditions that parents may not have been able to identify so quickly had they not had the input from nurses and school staff. Overall, what's most rewarding is the opportunity to build relationships with families and give them the reassurance that their child with health needs is safe at school.
Original source can be found here.
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