School Health Services Update: May 22nd, 2019

Dear Colleagues,

It is with both sadness and joy we say goodbye to Alison Brill, the School Health Unit Coordinator, who will be leaving to travel and then relocate to Chicago to be closer to family.  Alison has inspired us, challenged us, and brought much enjoyment to the School Health Services Team!  She has led us through the recent procurement process with proficiency, tenacity and a smile on her face! We are deeply appreciative of her work and service to our program, to the Department and to school health personnel and children throughout the Commonwealth!  We wish her the very best in her next adventure! We will miss her presence very much!

Caitlin Pettengill, DNP, RN, the Assistant Director of School Health Services, is currently on a medical leave from the Department and we wish her well.  She will be missed during her absence and we look forward to her return after her maternity leave.

During this period of transition, please be sure to contact your Regional Consultant (contact information below) with all school health and nursing practice questions and concerns.  Please contact Janet Burke (janet.burke@state.ma.us) with any school related Medication Administration Program issues, Bob Leibowitz (robert.leibowitz@state.ma.us) with all data reporting questions, and myself (mary.gapinski@state.ma.us) with all school health program inquiries.   We hope to return your calls and emails in a timely manner.

As previously announced, I am retiring effective June 28, 2019.  My position, Director of School Health Services, has been posted to the MassCareers website and is available for submission of applications at: https://massanf.taleo.net/careersection/ex/jobdetail.ftl?job=190003M2  The job description is attached (please note the Posting Number is: 190003M2 ).  Please share this opportunity widely!

Please see School Nurses in the News for the many accomplishments that school nurses have achieved that demonstrates their dedication and commitment to the work they do for our children!

I’m sure that many of you are looking forward to the long Memorial Day Holiday and the warm and sunny weather forecasted for the next few days!  Please take some time to relax and reflect on all you have done to provide service to our students while remembering the service of our veterans who have lost their lives in service to our country.

We are deeply grateful.

Mary Ann and the School Health Team

“There is nothing stronger than these two: patience and time. They will do it all.” – Leo Tolstoy, writer

SCHOOL NURSES IN THE NEWS

Paula R. Rock, DNP, RN, Supervisor for Medical Services for the Lighthouse School,  in Chelmsford, recently graduated from University of Massachusetts Lowell on Friday, May 17, 2019 with her DNP!  She was selected to represent UML and present her poster at the Eastern Nursing Research Society (ENRS) Conference in April, “School Nursing and Pain Assessment in Students with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities” .  She is planning to submit her work for publication.

Congratulations to Tracy Rose-Tynes, MS, BSN, RN, Nurse Manager of School Health Services for Cambridge Public Schools, for completing her Master’s Degree Organizational and Professional Communications.

Her thesis is entitled “The Relationship Between Teen Use Of E-Cigarettes, Perceptions of Health and Academic Achievement” and she is excited to share her E-cigarette presentation with anyone who would like to know more about  this topic.

Elizabeth Nightingale, MS, BSN, RN, District Nurse Leader for the Sandwich Public Schools received her MS in Nursing – Clinical Nurse Leadership​ from UMass Amherst!!  Her project focused on the school population with “Frequent Health Office Encounters”.​

And congratulations to Sandy Sorenson, BSN, RN, NSCN, Shrewsbury Public Schools Nurse who recently became accredited as a  Nationally Certified School Nurse!

We are so very proud of all of these accomplished women and nurses!

BU SHIELD SCHOOL NURSE LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE

There are still a handful of seats available for the Summer Leadership Institute for School and Public Health Nurses. Anyone who is interested may register here: https://portal.populationhealthexchange.org/product/leadership-institute-s19/  Story mapping, Strategic communications in public health, Health Equity and an inspirational speaker, Karen Daley, formerly President of the ANA, who will talk about her leadership journey and the role of nurses in population health.

BU SHIELD MANDATED SBIRT TRAINING

SBIRT in Schools

June 7, 2019 – (8:30AM-11:30AM for half day session/8:30-3PM for full day session)

Mount Wachusett Community College | Gardner, MA

To Register:  https://www.bucme.org/activity/8929

REGIONAL CONSULTANT CONTACT INFORMATION

Mary Ann Gapinski, MSN, RN, NCSN
Director of School Health Services
MA Department of Public Health
250 Washington Street – 5^th Floor
Boston, MA  02108
mary.gapinski@state.ma.us
Website: https://www.mass.gov/orgs/school-health-services