From the moment I walked into the health office of Pond Cove Elementary School in Cape Elizabeth, nurse Erin Taylor knew it was going to be a busy day. A number of teachers were out sick, and, as Erin forewarned me, this always meant more students would be visiting her office with stomach pain, headaches, and sore throats. Somehow, substitutes seem to have a way of bringing out these symptoms in students! Sure enough, the tiny health office was bustling until the last bell, with a steady stream of kindergarten-through-fourth-grade students complaining of minor aches and pains, most requiring nothing more than an ice pack and pat on the back. Yet I finished the day with a host of new knowledge. Erin was undoubtedly one of the most enthusiastic, passionate, and patient nurses I have ever observed. She never appears stressed, and, though she makes her job look easy, it is clear that years of practicing quick assessment and judgment skills have made her a master in the field. In 2020, Erin was named the Maine School Nurse of the Year, and, as I was reassured throughout the day by staff members who popped their heads in the door to say hello (I attended this school years ago, and know many of the teachers), I was learning from the best.
Erin began her nursing career in adult medicine, but always knew she wanted to work in pediatrics. She began working as a substitute nurse at Pond Cove School a few years after I graduated, eventually taking over the role of school nurse when Paula Harris, who had been my nurse, retired. Erin loves elementary school students, and she is clearly far more than a nurse to the 550 children at Pond Cove. Her office is a safe space to get away from the stresses of class, chat for a few minutes, or rest. The only criticism Erin receives is for being “too nice.” She gives students her full attention and listens to their concerns with respect, even the ones who visit her office daily with the most minor (some would call them silly) concerns. She keeps an endless supply of ice packs (which she doles out liberally – often an ice pack is all students need to feel better!), chapstick, and extra clothes, shoes, and socks. The latter came in handy multiple times throughout the day, with half a dozen students coming in from the playground covered in mud thanks to the unseasonably warm temperatures and melting snow. Erin admitted that, at times, her job can feel like “90% mothering.” Yet this doesn’t mean the role isn’t rigorous and intellectually demanding. A number of students at Pond Cove have complex medical or behavioral conditions that require daily monitoring, and Erin is constantly studying and reviewing material to keep up with best practices. She stressed the importance of developing strong assessment skills, which are usually best acquired in a hospital setting. In a school, it can be difficult to quickly determine if a situation is truly an emergency without proper experience. And even the most experienced make mistakes. Erin described one particularly stressful situation: A few years ago, a female student had fallen on the playground while doing a backbend gymnastics trick, and was completely unresponsive. Erin found her lying on her back, eyes wide open but seemingly unable to move, speak, or respond to stimuli. Fearful of a broken neck, Erin quickly called 911. As soon as the student was placed in a C-collar and loaded into the ambulance, she began “totally freaking out.” By then it was too late. She was taken to the hospital and immediately released, having faked the whole thing. Obviously this led to very serious consequences for the girl, but it also rattled Erin and made her consider if there was anything she could’ve done differently. Another time, a boy came into her office complaining of elbow pain after falling. He presented normally, so Erin gave him an ice pack and sent him on his way. The next day, the student showed up to school in a sling. He had badly dislocated the elbow. When Erin, shocked, asked him why he didn’t tell her how bad he was truly feeling, he responded that he “didn’t want to bother her.” Both of these situations have taught Erin the importance of good assessment skills, and led her to encourage me to develop them as best I can.
Every day is different in the Pond Cove health office. But no matter who walks through the door, Erin treats them like capable people with dignity, allowing them to make decisions (‘would you like to try eating snack and see if that makes you feel better?’ or, ‘would you like to sit for 10 minutes and rest or go back to class?’) and talk openly about their problems. Her greatest challenge as a school nurse was (and still is) navigating COVID. During the pandemic, Erin described contact tracing as ‘brutal,’ often finding herself working 15 hour days to complete everything she needed to. Fortunately, Pond Cove is housed in the same building as the middle school, so there is easy access to that school’s nurse, and Erin collaborated with her frequently. As a whole, I left this experience with not only new knowledge, but also lots of respect for what Erin and other school nurses do on a daily basis. Their job is far from easy, or just ‘ice packs and bandaids.” But Erin showed me how to navigate busy and often stressful situations with a smile and a kind word for everyone. I plan to go back to Pond Cove later this semester!
