Raise Your “Voice” for Meningococcal Disease Awareness
The South Dakota School Nurses Association is committed to helping raise awareness about the seriousness of meningococcal disease and the importance of vaccination for preteens and teens, which is why we have joined the National Association of School Nurses’ Voices of Meningitis Challenge! As school nurses, we are a trusted — and sometimes the only — source of health information for preteens and teens, who are at greater risk of contracting meningococcal disease.
We encourage you to raise your “voice” for meningitis prevention by joining the Voices of Meningitis Challenge too! It’s simple: use the free Voices educational materials to help raise awareness about meningococcal meningitis in your school or community, and submit your effort(s) to NASN. Any school nurse who implements an activity and submits a Voices Challenge Submission Form to NASN will be recognized, and three nurses will be selected to receive a trip* to the 2012 NASN Annual Conference in San Francisco.
NASN will also provide the three states with the greatest participation in the Voices Challenge (as measured by submission forms received) with a sponsored event (up to $500) at their 2012 Annual Conference.
No effort is too small to submit to NASN, and with your help, our state’s efforts can be recognized.
To learn more visit www.VoicesOfMeningitis.org or the NASN’s Voices Challenge webpage.
* Up to $2,000 to cover travel and hotel expenses for duration of meeting; ANCC regulations prohibit payment for registration fees.
Randi Oviett Named SD School Nurse of the Year
Meade School District nurse Randi Oviatt has been recognized for her excellence in school nursing by being named the 2010 South Dakota School Nurse of the Year by the the SDSNA state association. Nurse Randi Oviatt has worked for the school district for 20 years and currently serves students in sixth through eighth grades at Sturgis Williams Middle School, kindergarten through sixth grade at Whitewood Elementary School, and grades four and five at Sturgis Elementary. She also visits the rural schools at least annually.
Those who know her say the honor is well deserved. “Mrs. Oviatt is the epitome of a world class school nurse who has dedicated her life to good health and children,” said Chrissy Peterson, director of special services for the school district. “This is such an honor for me,” said Randi. “I’ve worked with other nurses who have won the award and I greatly respect them.” She added she couldn’t do her job without the help of the students, staff and parents. “They are the best to work with,” she said. Randi takes great care to assure that each child’s medical needs are met with love and expertise, treating each as if he or she were her only patient of the day.
From her first days as a school nurse when she would dispense Band-Aids, hugs and a therapeutic dose of cheerfulness, to the present, dealing with student medical needs as diverse as diabetes, asthma, ADHD, mental health issues, drug abuse and terminal conditions – Randi does it all in a compassionate yet professional manner. Under her leadership, a medical trust fund was established so that Meade School District students, whose families can’t afford it, receive medical and dental care, get prescriptions filled and new clothes and food for the family. She has also been instrumental in implementing a Migrant Health Program in the district and in developing an employee wellness program.
“Randi constantly looks for new opportunities to improve our school health services,” said co-worker and nurse Marcia Potts. “Randi is a resource for staff, families and students as she is familiar with the services available throughout the state. She is also the nurse the other nurses call when they are stumped on a diagnosis. Her experience makes her invaluable,” added Marcia. Former Meade School District nurse Colleen Ohrtman commented, “Randi is quick with a smile and a kind word. She is school nurse of the year, everyday, to her students, friends and colleagues.”
Christmas at the Capitol
From diagnosing to decorating… the school nurses of the South Dakota School Nurses association are proving they are the super-heroes we know them to be! The South Dakota School Nurses Association Board met in Pierre in November for their quarterly meeting and during the visit had an opportunity to decorate the Association’s Christmas tree at the Capitol.
