I just love this story! Trish Garett, a school nurse from NC, reached out to me on Facebook to share an initiative she started to bring comfort to those on the frontlines of COVID-19. She used her trusty Cricut to create ‘ear savers’ to attach to the back of face mask ties or loops to protect pulling and discomfort. An ingenious design that creates a bit of comfort in a most uncomfortable time.
Trish’s story illustrates the creativity and ingenuity of school nurses across the country who have become ‘Maker Nurses’! Congratulations Trish, your work is making a difference. Just this morning, an article was published about your creative solution to bring comfort to healthcare workers across your region and beyond.
Hi There! My name is Trish Garrett and I am the School Nurse at Eastern Alamance High School in Mebane, NC. Seeing as our buildings are closed I was looking for a way to help our essential personal. I have made and donated over 600 ear savers to local hospital emergency departments and doctors offices, the Navy Corp of Nurses stationed in NY and Guam, an emergency room in San Diego, and the Akron Children’s hospital flight team (plus a lot more).
A lot of my donations have happened due to trying to keep friends and family a little more comfortable while wearing the N95’s and it has grown from there. I donate to any location I can think of or through word of mouth. I’m doing what I can to help now as I know when school starts up again, we school nurses will be frontline employees again and I won’t have the energy to help as my staff and students will be priority one. I think right now as nurses that aren’t working in the hospital setting, we struggle to find ways to help, start small and simple! It’s amazing what a difference something small can make!
Bio: I have been a nurse for 18 years, started in the pediatric emergency room, then moved to labor and delivery, and childbirth education. I am now a Nationally Certified School Nurse and have worked with all school-age groups over the last 4 years, with the majority of my time at the high school level.
