Having just returned from NASN 2017, my heart is full and my mind is overflowing. I want to thank the NASN leadership and staff for creating such a meaningful and well-designed conference. The hospitality of California School Nurses was palpable as was the pride of the affiliates from the home states of the outgoing and incoming NASN Executive Board. I was especially moved at the Affiliates Rally when the DE School Nurse brought us all to tears as she expressed the collective appreciation and admiration for their very own Beth Mattey, as her term concluded.
Beth’s legacy as NASN’s President will be honored and remembered because she elevated our national profile. She gave a platform to school nurses all across the country to tell their stories, including me. Beth made herself visible, available and most importantly, she wanted to shine spotlights on the work that is happening in school health offices. I thank you, Beth Mattey, for sharing your resources, your time and your leadership with us during your term. You are a #LegacySchoolNurse and I am thankful that my entry into the world of NASN was under your term as President.
Nina Fekaris, our new NASN President set an ambitious agenda during her acceptance speech and I know she will achieve her goals. Nina is a thought leader that will guide NASN through the next few years with purpose and vision. As Beth said, we are all standing on the shoulders of those who came before us. I wish Nina the best and fully support her platform of telling our stories to illustrate the specialty practice that is School Nursing.
Donna Mazyck is a humble School Nurse treasure that continues to impress me with her humility, brilliance, and grace. NASN’s Executive Director embraces the power of storytelling. She wrote a wonderful article about storytelling in a past edition of NASN School Nurse. Donna wants to know the “why” of why we do what we do. She is a leader, paving the way for 21st-century school nursing thought through action!
NASN is in good hands as we move forward with a new slate of officers, including New Jersey’s own Mary Blackborow. Mary is the new Secretary/Treasurer who always calls herself a worker bee, but she is a leader who has given quietly but powerfully to NJ School Nurses and now has a national platform to shine! NJ School Nurses thank you, Mary, for your worker-bee leadership, maybe you are really our Queen Bee!
These women are Relentless School Nurses because they are always moving forward to advance our specialty practice and tell the stories of what school nurses really accomplish. This narrative of school nursing as a specialty practice must be a shared as often as possible and on multiple platforms. Let’s be relentless in telling our stories, about finding our own leadership, whether it is in our school communities or on a national stage. All of us are important parts to the greater collective that is School Nursing. Our future is bright and in capable hands.