Grace Ruthe
Oakland school nurse Barbara Verga was named School Nurse of the Year by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation(JDRF) Northern New Jersey and Rockland County chapter. Verga, a nurse at Dogwood Elementary, shares the honor with two other nurses from New Jersey.
School nurses did not exist until 1902, when a NYC school hired a nurse to reduce absenteeism – it worked. Today, in 2013, the role of a school nurse has grown and the job even more demanding.
Barbera Verga’s award by the JDRF recognizes her work helping students with type 1 diabetes. In type 1 diabetes, the body does not produce the insulin needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy.
Type 1 diabetes is a very serious condition, and children need to learn a lot at a tender age of how to maintain their health…and the school nurse is part of that process. As Tara Ruthe, whose daughter Grace has type 1 diabetes says, “I love our nurse, she is am amazing person and I could not have made it through Gracie’s diagnosis with out her.”
While Barbara Verga’s nominatation by the JDRF exemplifies some of the more complex medical conditions school nurses deal with, it is only one of many situations faced on a daily basis.
The number of children that have type 1 diabetes has increased dramatically. In one study focused on children in Philadelphia, diagnoses in kids younger than 5 jumped by 70 percent between 1985 and 2004 over the past decades.
Type 1 diabetes is not the only chronic condition that has seen a dramatic increase in children. In 2008, more than 10 million children in the United States had asthma; the prevalence of food allergies among children under the age of 18 increased 19 percent from 1997-2007; overall, 15 to 18 percent of children and adolescents have a chronic health condition; nearly half of whom could be considered disabled.
The school nurse has a very special role in a school – health professional, teacher, counselor. They control and dispense medications for many students with chronic health issues; respond to those with fevers or bellyaches, and address the emotional and mental health needs of those facing stress at school or home
…And in a medical emergency, it is often the school nurse who stands between life and death for students, teachers, administrators, janitors and school aides…
JDRF Fundraiser
Barbara Verga is the healthcare professional leading Dogwood Elementary, and even the leader of the school falls in step behind her efforts as is the case with Dogwood Principal Glenn Clark who joined Grace Ruthe as she walked in a fundraiser for the JDRF. “I am very proud of Ms. Verga. I think this kind of care is indicative of all of the Oakland Public School nurses”, said Clark.
Back in the old days, when a kid complained they got hurt or were not feeling well, they might be told to “walk it off”. Today, we know that certain things cannot be “walked off”, but with the support of health professionals like Barbara Verga – kids can keep on walking through a long and healthy life.
LINKS:
http://theoaklandjournal.com/health/health-i/nick-jonas-clocks-in/
http://theoaklandjournal.com/health/cancer-our-environment/
http://theoaklandjournal.com/features/the-faces-of-diabetes/