A passion for school nursing

Special contribution by Sherlyn Santana

For Health Services Supervisor Rosa Guerrero, student success begins with good health. From making sure nurses have the resources they need to helping students build healthy habits, she believes school health services play a strong role in every student’s education. 

Guerrero said her decision to become a nurse was inspired by her experience as a child. She watched the school nurse at Ignacio Zaragoza Elementary School care for the students, staff, and on occasion helped her father who suffered from vertigo.

“I still remember her name,” Guerrero said of the school nurse. “Watching her and the way she cared for the students left a good impression.” 

Years later, after her father was diagnosed with cancer and was in hospice care, another nurse sparked her calling. Guerrero recalls the nurse was “very caring, very supportive, and was able to provide that emotional support to our family.” Seeing how compassionate the nurse was inspired her to pursue a career in health care. 

This year marks Guerrero’s 15th year as a school nurse with Dallas ISD. During her time in the district, she said her favorite part of the job has been building relationships with students and their families. 

“You get to know them, you get to know the student,” she said, explaining how connecting with families helps team members have a better understanding of the many facets of the job. “My favorite part of being in Health Services as a nursing supervisor is our ability to ensure that our school nurses have the tools that they need and the support to perform their job.”

Guerrero said school nurses support student achievement by collaborating with counselors, administrators, 504 coordinators, and other departments to ensure students receive the care they need to succeed. School nurses also conduct medical referrals, such as hearing and vision screenings to help students stay healthy. 

“Student health is really important,” she said. “We create a foundation for the students to gain skills that will impact them for the rest of their life. If you create a good foundation for them both academically and health-wise, they learn good behaviors and good habits.”