This week, I’m in Austin for the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) 2025 Annual Conference, and honestly? It feels a little like a camp reunion.
There’s something special about being in a room full of school nurses from all across the country, people who truly understand. The long days. The impossible decisions. The quiet wins. The heartbreak and the humor. We may come from different states and settings, but the thread that connects us is strong. And when we gather, it’s more than just professional development; it’s a reunion of the heart.
One of the highlights, which is just getting underway, was reconnecting with Beth Mattey, Past President of NASN and one of my earliest mentors. Seeing her brought me right back to the beginning of my journey, when I was still learning what it meant to be a school nurse and finding my footing. Beth saw something in me I hadn’t yet seen in myself: the leader within. Her belief in me helped me find my voice, and I’ve been trying to pay that forward ever since.
As we talked, Beth reminded me of the work of Gerri Harvey, a New Hampshire school nurse who shared her wit, wisdom, and encouragement before social media, before blogs, before “going viral” meant anything to school nurses. Gerri created gerrischoolnurse.com. Her words, thoughtful, honest, and poetic, were a lifeline. She told stories that made our invisible work visible. She made us feel less alone. And she reminded us that the kids who came to our offices again and again were looking to be seen. And so are we!
Gerri taught me that our stories matter. That writing about our experiences isn’t self-indulgent—it’s educating others and celebrating our unique profession. And that mentoring others isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about walking alongside them as they find their own.
Today, Gerri is retired from school nursing and pouring her creative energy into her art, which is just as expressive and full of life as her writing. But her legacy lives on in the school nurses who found their way because she was brave enough to tell the truth. And her impact is part of the reason The Relentless School Nurse exists.
Two Mentors. One Shared Legacy.
This post is a thank-you letter to two women who helped shape who I am as a school nurse, a writer, and a leader.
To Beth Mattey—thank you for seeing the leader in me when I couldn’t see it yet. Your quiet encouragement and fierce advocacy helped me believe I had something to contribute.
To Gerri Harvey, thank you for making storytelling feel like home. Your honesty, humor, and humanity helped me find my voice and encouraged others to do the same.
NASN 2025 reminds me that we’re all part of a bigger story—one written by those who came before us and continued by those just entering the field. A story of resilience, compassion, creativity, and relentless advocacy for kids and ourselves.
This is our reunion. This is our legacy. And this is why we keep showing up—for each other, and for the students who need us most.
.
Whose Children? by Gerri Harvey, RN, M.Ed. NCSN
Whose children are those
The ones with that hair?
Or the ones who won’t answer
Except with a stare?
Whose children are those
The ones who smell bad?
Whose children are those
Looking lonely and scared?
And whose child is THAT
With the insolent face?
Whose child is that
Who won’t stay in his place?
I stand here and watch them
The first day of school
The rowdy, the moody
The the very un-cool.
I used to wonder
But I no longer ask
If there is a parent
Needs taking to task.
For I know that no matter
In understanding I’ve grown.
There are raw tender places
Where spirit meets bone.
I am a school nurse
I can “see” past the skin
And I know I must care
From without and within.
Open your eyes
But see with your heart
For nursing is science
And nursing is art.
Those children are mine
Whether big ones or small
They are yours, mine and ours
They belong to us all.
I will be sharing a series of blog posts from the conference and I am one happy camper to meet so many of my readers in person!
Share on Social Media:
Discover more from The Relentless School Nurse
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Hello to you Robin; hello to Beth, and thank you for the poem from Gerri. All three of you are an inspiration to me.
We missed you dear Cindy! Your impact on novice writers like me, paved the way for the next generation of school nurses sharing on a much wider stage! I am sure your ears were ringing as school nurses sang your praises for helping them step by step through the unknown world of publishing!
Thank you for your kind words Robin! You have always been a leader and your blogs consistently capture the essence of school nursing. I am forever grateful that we met in Philadelphia at the 2015 NASN Conference and that we continue to share our school nursing journey together. -Beth
The discussion we had at the beginning of the conference left me reflecting on how school nursing has evolved over my 24 + years, 40 in total as a nurse. Thank you for remembering Gerry Harvey and her significant contribution to school nursing.