If you’re a longtime school nurse and MacGill customer, you may remember our book, “A Long Way from Henry Street”, in which we featured stories written by school nurses just like you about their experiences of keeping children healthy and happy.
Over the last few years, and especially so in 2020, school nursing has continued to change. That’s why we’ve decided to revive this project (click here to learn more)! Our hope is to provide a place for school nurses to share their experiences with the community. We’ll be publishing your stories in our upcoming flyers and right here on our blog. Please enjoy the next story from our 2021 “Henry Street” series:
How First Aid Training Saved a Life in An Unexpected Way
I left the hospital where I worked in Pediatrics and Orthopedics for five years and applied for a school nurse job. During the interview I was asked if I would become a certified CPR/First Aid Instructor so I could train the faculty at school. I told them I would as I felt it was important for them to learn so they could respond should an emergency arise.
During the first aid training I covered the symptoms of diabetes, such as increased urination (especially getting up in the middle of the night to void), increased thirst, dry mouth, fatigue, weakness, anger, irritability, and nausea. One of my staff members was alarmed at this and told me that her son had been having these symptoms. When she got home, she took her son to the emergency room where his blood sugar level was over 500. Her son was immediately admitted to the hospital and treated for diabetes. They told her if his blood sugar kept going up it was only a matter of time before he could become unconscious.
Needless to say, it was because she took the training that she was able to recognize that her son had a serious medical issue. In the end, he received the knowledge needed to manage his diabetes and she was truly grateful for having taken the course.
Every year when I open first aid training registration for staff, I add a note at the end of the notice: "You could SAVE A LIFE!" How true!
Marilyn Brison, RN, CSN
