Being a virtual school nurse in the age of #COVID19 is challenging. It calls for innovation and creativity to stay connected to our students, staff, and families.

I am a preschool nurse and use the art of storytelling to connect with my young students. They love story time with Nurse Robin because I am joining them in their safe space, group time in the classroom. Children often associate nurses with shots and pain and are often fearful to meet me at first. I always look for ways to change their mindset! So, reading favorite books is one way to bring comfort because kids LOVE stories. They also appreciate having guest readers in school, and so do their teachers.

Schools are closed all across the country and many school nurses now find ourselves in a new long-distance reality. But, virtual school nurses’ offices are still open and perhaps we are needed now more than ever. I feel like our reach has expanded beyond the health office, the walls of the school and directly into the homes of our students. That is a different perspective.

In my quest to stay in touch with students, I created a YouTube channel and have been uploading videos of favorite books that I narrated. I am happy to help others create your own YouTube channels too! It is low stakes, free resource to remind our students that we are still here and can provide comfort from a distance. We are a high touch profession in a time where no touch is the ‘now normal.’ Here is one way to virtually touch our students, staff, and families.