School Nurse Superpower Nominees

Jackie is our lead "Super" nurse that has the ability to work with our school cabinet members to help them to understand our vision for health services and how they can best support that vision. She works tirelessly to ensure we are updating our procedures to meet best practice and use that to effect change in district policy. She stands behind her team, supports them, mentors them, recognizes them, appreciates them, and gives all she has to her position and her staff peers. Health services was never recognized, and treated like the red headed step child until she demonstrated to our administrators, cabinet, and board that we are a profession that is highly regarded and deserves the same professional respect as all other departments. She has developed new procedures, been a policy changer, a positive role model and leader. In our district, with her as lead, we have the lowest turnover rate/highest retention numbers, gained NASN certifications for 80% of our RN's, changed the evaluation rubric to meet nursing standards(not educator standards), and applied for and received two grants which helped send nursing staff to their first ever NASN conference. Jackie strongly believes in recognizing staff and empowering them to confidently perform their duties and strive for continued education. At our end of year and holiday parties she goes out of her way to make the staff feel special by presenting awards that she has developed and provided prizes and other items for, from her own personal finances as the health services department does not have a budget specifically allocated. She is also a champion at developing and acquiring speakers to provide professional development to our staff with no financial incentive/pay. Jackie has done so much for the department all while completing her Masters Degree in health administration. Aside from leadership she also keeps abreast of the nurse practice act, recent legislative changes, and collaborates with other district nurses. One could only be so lucky to learn from her and work "with" her and not "for" her. I fear what will happen when and if she decides to retire or pursue other avenues. She is our unicorn!