Shore Regional School Nurse Patricia Smith earns accolades

If a school nurse is the backbone to a healthy school community, then Patricia Smith, the 2020-2021 Shore Regional Educational Services Professional, is its lifeblood during a global pandemic. Smith joined the staff of Shore Regional in 2007, and currently has 34 years of experience in the field of nursing. She graduated from William Paterson College with her Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing, and Columbia University with her Master’s of Science in Nursing.

“School Nursing during the pandemic has shifted dramatically,” Smith explained. “Our biggest challenge was developing a re-entry plan with the health and safety committee that enabled the staff and students to begin the 2020/2021 school year in the building. The biggest time-consuming challenge is contact tracing and educating staff, students, and parents regarding COVID issues and concerns. The unsettling challenge has been my inability to meet with as many students in person as I did in the past.”

Despite these challenges, Smith continues to work within the school on a daily basis to help students and staff. After working for years in the acute care setting of nursing, Smith made the decision to shift to school nursing.

Smith said the allure of working with students included, “educating children and young adults about healthy habits and how to access health care; hopefully empowers them to choose and seek those habits throughout their life. I enjoy working with children and young adults. My goal is to foster the desire for them to make healthy decisions based on the knowledge and healthy options they have been afforded or need to find. Hopefully students, when given the opportunity, will select what is good for their overall
well-being.”

In addition to her duties as the school nurse, Smith is also involved in many other aspects of Shore Regional, including Red Cross Club Adviser which coordinates Shore’s annual blood drives, Eagles Up collection for the military, fundraising for the American Cancer Society’s Breast Cancer Awareness campaign, and American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women Campaign and fundraising for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Smith serves on the Health and Safety Committee, provides CPR for staff and supports the Biggest Loser Competition, coordinated with Joe Rankin.

Smith met her husband of 31 years, Michael, while attending William Paterson College. They have one daughter named Macailagh. In her free time, she enjoys biking, swimming, walking her dog, Scruffy, or just being outside.

While she faces the daily challenge of meeting the health needs of all students and staff completely, she is continually inspired to learn and provide that knowledge in the form of treatments, support, or in-service programs.

Smith concluded, “Hopefully my support or treatment improves their issue or concern that is affecting them at that time.”