Staff Bulletin - November 2007 :: San Diego Unified School District

In case you’re thinking the only duties performed by school nurses are cleaning and bandaging cuts and scrapes, think again. Two district nurses have recently been honored for outstanding nursing skills that extend far beyond simple first aid.

Clairemont High School Nurse Cathy Brugman (right) was honored as an American Red Cross Hero for her rapid response and professional skills in responding to a medical emergency. When Glen Sawade, a member of the school’s custodial staff, went into apparent cardiac arrest, she performed CPR and directed others to call 911. According to the physician, “The help received at the high school made all the difference in the world. When someone goes down – with no pulse or respiration – the first few minutes are crucial." Thanks to Cathy’s immediate response and assessment expertise, Sewade has fully recovered and is alive today.

Hamilton Elementary School Nurse Jessie Wallace has been chosen as California’s School Nurse of the Year for 2007 by the California School Nurses Organization. Selection for this award was based on her commitment to school children and impressive leadership skills. Among her recent activities, Jessie organized a community Health and Wellness Fair this past summer and was instrumental in helping her school receive a $1,000 mini-grant for its wellness policy implementation, furthering their efforts to create healthy environments and programs to reduce childhood obesity.