Each year during National Nurses Week, Chesterfield County Public Schools honors a School Nurse of the Year in recognition of all that school nurses do to support student health, safety and success.
Jenna Ornelas of Chalkley Elementary is the School Nurse of the Year for Chesterfield County Public Schools.
She has worked in nursing for 20 years — four of those years as a school nurse — and says, “While my philosophy of school nursing evolves alongside the changing needs of my students, it remains centered on caring for the whole child so they are healthy, safe and ready to learn. … I have been especially passionate about supporting students with complex health care needs. My goal is to ensure they have the specialized care and personalized accommodations needed to succeed.”
One of the people who nominated Ornelas for the award wrote, “A strong advocate for students, Jenna ensures that every child receives equitable, compassionate care. She maintains strict confidentiality while fostering trust and respect with students, families and staff. … Jenna builds meaningful relationships that support student health and promote positive outcomes.”
A registered nurse and a certified pediatric nurse, Ornelas says school nurses are in a position to understand student needs and help connect them with available resources. “I never thought I would be advocating so strongly for students in this way, but it is the most rewarding experience in my career. This is why our voices matter here at school. We see things with these kiddos that others don’t.”
Here are some of the innovations Ornelas has implemented:
Communicating about what the clinic can and cannot do. Educating students and staff members has decreased unnecessary visits and created time to manage high needs students.
Providing hygiene lessons for grades 3-4 that cover hand-washing, bathing, brushing teeth and cough/sneeze etiquette.
Strengthening relationship with VCU Care Connection for Children, which helps boost resources for medically complex students and students with chronic illnesses.
Creating a calm corner in the clinic for students who have headaches or who need a minute to get themselves together.
Providing poison awareness lessons for students in kindergarten and third grade.
Another nominator wrote, “Nurse Jenna is an awesome school nurse. [She] is the absolute BEST with our school staff. … Nurse Jenna is a kind, knowledgeable and compassionate person and truly understands our school climate and the students and families that attend Chalkley.”