School Nursing

The Relentless School Nurse: Because Representation Matters

Robin Cogan, MEd, RN, NCSN, FNASN, FAAN

 

(Original image by: Bria Goeller and good trubble (Black owned design shop out of California). The shadow is little Ruby Bridges from Norman Rockwell’s iconic 1963 painting “The Problem We All Live With.”)

Of all the images that are seared in my memory from what it means to have a Biden/Harris administration, this one feels most consequential. Representation matters is the message that we must remember, act upon, and ensure as we move forward in a new day in America. The visual of the shadow of Ruby Bridges as she walks to school that first day of desegregation coupled with Vice President-elect Kamala Harris walking to her destiny is the one that I will celebrate. 

The message of hope born from possibility is what the Biden/Harris administration represents. “We can define America in one word: possibilities,” said President-elect Biden. We are in a renewed moment in our country, it is remarkable and history-making. America is embracing its new potential, but the struggle continues and we will not forget the lessons of the Barack Obama presidency. Racism does not end with the election of Kamala Harris or Barack Obama. In fact, it does the opposite, it amplifies the truth of the scope of racism in America. But, we are at an inflection point in this country and the lessons are hard but necessary to move beyond this moment to the greater goal of a “more perfect Union,” which means a more equitable Union. 

One of the best quotes of Vice President-elect Kamala Harris’s acceptance speech:

But while I may be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last. Because every little girl watching tonight sees that this is a country of possibilities and to the children of our country regardless of your gender, our country has sent you a clear message: Dream with ambition, lead with conviction and see yourselves in a way that others may not simply because they’ve never seen it before.                 

The full speech can be viewed here:  

And so this new day brings possibility, as Vice President-elect Kamala Harris said “I’m so ready to go to work, Joe.”

Me too! 

Published by Robin Cogan, MEd, RN, NCSN, FNASN, FAAN

Robin Cogan, MEd, RN, NCSN, FNASN, FAAN, is a Nationally Certified School Nurse (NCSN), currently in her 22nd year as a New Jersey school nurse in the Camden City School District. Robin is the Director for New Jersey to the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) Board. She is proud to be a Johnson & Johnson School Health Leadership Fellow and past Program Mentor. Robin is the honored recipient of multiple awards for her work in school nursing and population health. These awards include, 2019 and 2020 National Association of School Nurses President’s Award, 2018 NCSN School Nurse of the Year, 2017 Johnson & Johnson School Nurse of the Year, and the New Jersey Department of Health 2017 Population Health Hero Award. Robin serves as faculty in the School Nurse Certificate Program at Rutgers University-Camden School of Nursing, where she teaches the next generation of school nurses. She was presented the 2018 Rutgers University – Camden Chancellor’s Teaching Excellence Award for Part-time Faculty. Robin writes a weekly blog called The Relentless School Nurse. She also writes a monthly column in My American Nurse, the official journal of the American Nurses Association. Robin’s work is included as a case study in The Future of Nursing Report 2020-2030. You can follow Robin on Twitter at @RobinCogan.

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