School nurse Tessa McIlraith was Washington State School Nurse of the Year in 2020. She is a school nurse leader, artist, poet, and an inspirational light in this world. Tessa is a creative, who shared her gift of poetry, what she calls her therapy, with the readers of this blog. To learn more about Tessa and her work, you can visit her website: WellNurse RN
My heart in the middle of your blame and my accountability of the same.
My heart in the middle of protection and indignation.
My heart in the middle of your skin and the needle; the needle and the choice.
My heart in the middle of the teacher and student. Both their life and their choice in a matter of minutes.
My heart in the middle of 10 or 14, to stay or to leave. With still no reprieve.
My heart in the middle of the denigrate call as I bite my lip in vexation. And I still there and stall.
My heart in the middle of science and faith, torn by discord amongst all human race.
My heart in the middle is fragmented between home and away, work and enough play.
My heart is in the middle, not by choice or to be fair, I place it in hopes that you see that I care.
But don’t take for granted my prayers, thoughts and wisdom I share, because someday my heart may have no more to spare.
By me, for me and to be seen or heard for healing.
by Tessa McIlraith
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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.
View all posts by Robin Cogan, MEd, RN, NCSN, FNASN, FAAN
The wisdom and expression of desiring the best in others is such a gift that school nurses gladly share with their school populations. Tessa describes this so beautifully and her wellness blog is fantastic. Thank you again Robin for wanting the very best in all of us. Cathy