AFT members named state school nurses of the year in R.I., Utah

By Ashleigh Hodge

Each year, the national association of School Nurses honors deserving school nurses from around the country for their outstanding commitment and dedication to their profession.

This year, AFT members Alice Brady of Rhode Island and Deborah Milan-Niler of Utah each received her state’s school nurse of the year award, and they were recognized by their peers at the NASN conference in New York City.

“I am truly humbled and honored to have been selected for this award. I consider it the highest honor to receive acknowledgments from my peers, and I am very grateful,” says Brady.

“It is a great honor, and I am deeply humbled. I work with wonderful people and exceptional school nurses,” says Milan-Niler.

Brady serves as certified school nurse at Centredale Elementary School in North Providence, R.I., and Milan-Niler is a district nurse for the Salt Lake City schools and a clinical instructor at Westminster College.

Both women have had outstanding careers. They have worked in a variety of nursing settings, and contributed greatly to school nursing through their tireless involvement with professional and volunteer organizations. They have been rewarded with a variety of honors and awards for their expertise and dedication.

Milan-Niler has been a district nurse for 14 years, and Brady has been a school nurse for 15 years.

In school settings, nurses play an important role in supporting student learning and provide necessary resources for students, parents and the community. Milan-Niler and Brady not only promote students’ health and safety but also provide on-site healthcare assessments.

Both women agree the union has positively affected their careers.

“The AFT has been supportive of the Utah schools. It has been instrumental in helping pass a [state] Senate bill to study school nurses’ issues,” says Milan-Niler. “It has provided guidance and expertise, and helped directly with the Senate bill. We would not have been successful without the AFT.”

“The union has been extremely supportive. What I like most about the union is it recognizes the areas school nurses have expertise in,” says Brady.

School nursing is a demanding specialty that many consider a form of independent nursing practice. The broad range of school nurses’ responsibilities, coupled with the many students seeking their attention, often leaves their offices looking like emergency rooms.

Brady’s and Milan-Niler’s activism is deeply rooted in the classroom but also reaches into the community. Both devote considerable time to their communities, including coordinating health services, health education and parent/community involvement in their schools.

“School nurses are involved after hours in the community, with CPR classes, PTA speaking engagements, and networking with agencies to promote health and wellness. School nursing is community involvement. It is more absorbing than working in a clinical setting, and it [allows for] ongoing professional development,” says Brady. And although school nursing is a highly demanding profession, it can be deeply satisfying.

“The day I graduated from nursing school I had opportunities to work all over the U.S. in many different nursing specialties. I really enjoyed going to work every day,” says Milan-Niler. “Even if you can make a difference in one person’s life, it’s rewarding.”

Among the many challenges school nurses face, the most difficult is getting the public to understand their role and its importance.

“The most challenging aspect of my profession is communicating the need to have professional nurses provide professional care,” says Brady. “We want our children to have their needs met in school. We must not lower standards. We must maintain the highest standards in nursing care.”