It’s funny, unless you have kids or have a job that revolves around school; I think we all forget how exciting the last few days of school are.  This year it feels like it has snuck up on me, but I am excited never the less. I woke up today and my first thought was “This is the last Friday of this school year.”  The kids go until June 10^th, my last ay to work is June 13^th.  Because of the clinics we have held for the last 2 weeks, my regular routine is really out of whack.  It means the last day of school really did sneak up on me.  Things I usually have done are still waiting, and I spend a few minutes each day wondering, “will I get it all done?”  Contrary to popular belief, being a school nurse where I work is not all about seeing stomachaches and putting on band-aids.  Actually it is that plus lots of other stuff- lots of PAPERWORK, that thing we grown ups hate the most but seems to take up a lot of our time.  I have to turn this in, and that in….get this together and that….   In the past, the last day of school for the kids usually comes about 5 days before our actual last day, so you have loads of time to wrap stuff up.  This year we have no such luxury.  It has really tested my no stress policy, but I feel like I am doing well.  My work motto is, I do the best I can, in the time I am allotted.  I am not doing work on my own personal time, and if does not get done, then it is my supervisor’s job to figure out what to do to help me get it done.  So for a few minutes I panicked this AM when I realized it is the last Friday, but then I was able to let it go.  I want to enjoy this time of year when the kids are crazy relaxed and excited.  When the teachers are exhausted, excited and remorseful because the end is near.   When the parents are dreading the summer and excited about it at the same time. When life is all about the prospect of a perfect idea (summer) lying ahead of you shimmering like black tarmac on a hot summer’s day. 

Today, the 2nd to last day of the 2006-2007 school year, my team had its last team meeting. We had an awesome party with lots of food…nurses love parties where you bring food. It was a sad, bitter sweet get together because in the fall when we get back together our team will be split up. I have worked with some of these ladies for my entire school health career, 5 years. When I started, we had about 8 people on the team and only 2 were experienced school nurses. The rest of us were brand spanking new that year. So we have really grown together, grown in our practice, confidence and grown together as friends. We now number 14 members. I thought last year when we got our new supervisor that the team would not survive. But she has loosened up, and we have loosened up and adapted, and I found the meeting today kinda sad. We had a small meeting and then we were going to commence with the eating. Have you every known something was going to happen before it happened? My supervisor said she wanted to give out one more Values in Action before we finished the meeting. Values in Actions are basically pats on the back. You have to write up why you want the person to receive one, and then submit it to a committee and they have to approve it. The reward for getting a Values in Action is you get to trade the coupon for one of several prizes listed on the CMS website. Whenever we have team meetings and someone gets a Values in Actions, I have always harbored a bit or resentment. I must admit, the last 2 years I have felt sorely under appreciated. It seems that you don’t get rewarded for doing your job or doing the best job you can under the circumstances, you get rewarded for doing something that brings attention to the program, showing others our worth. So people like me, who don’t rock the boat, do the best damn job they can given the circumstances they have, do not get rewarded. Surely you know where this is going by now. The last Values in Actions she wanted to give out was for me…. me and 2 other nurses who have worked hard with the program getting us up and running with our laptops. I was so flabbergasted. Right before she said whom it was for, I said to myself, “Wouldn’t it be weird if it was for me?” I just had that feeling. I will say I was proud, and excited because finally it felt like someone noticed I was doing a good job. Consistently with this program, I have been give hard assignments, and I do the best I can overwhelmed. When I have complained it is usually met with a “Yeah, yeah, you say you have it tough attitude,” then when it all comes out I really did have it tough and had a right to complain, like the fact that both of my schools are going one on one next year because they have such heavy loads, but I was expected to manage them both this past school year and shut up about it. Anyway, to make a long story short, today I finally felt like I got some recognition for the good work that I do. It felt good. Funny how a little thing like being appreciated can change your attitude. So at the end of this school year,

1. I get a one on one school assignment next year;. It’s a change, and we all know how scary change is, but hopefully this will be a good change.
2. I get recognition for doing my job well, and for helping others
3. I find out that I will be on another team, with mostly new team mates and a new supervisor
4. My Friend Ron got the news that he will get the promotion and become help desk supervisor (YAY RON!) (he also have a premonition he would get the job today before they told him)

Pretty eventful end of the year. I can’t wait til summer so I can sit and do crafts with drinks that have little umbrellas.