ROSEDALE, MD – A new Maryland Health Care Commission webinar features two Baltimore County Public Schools school nurses. The hourlong webinar, “Leveraging Technology to Meet Student Needs During COVID-19 and Beyond,” provides tips and resources for school nurses to support working with students and their families in a virtual environment.

The presenters are Kristy Gorman, president of the Maryland Association of School Health Nurses and school nurse at Essex Elementary School (and the 2017 Maryland finalist in Pfizer’s America’s Greatest School Nurse competition), and Angela D’Alto, school nurse at Golden Ring Middle School. The webinar is hosted by Justine Springer, program manager of the Maryland Health Care Commission.

“Shifting from providing in-person student care to a virtual health environment presented itself with many obstacles,” said Gorman. “However, school nurses embraced the change and found creative ways to reach the needs of our students and our school communities.”

Throughout the pandemic. BCPS nurses have been working alongside the Baltimore County Department of Health as COVID-19 support, holding student health office hours in Google Meet, and participating in their schools’ Social-Emotional Learning teams to support students who need extra help during virtual learning. Nurses have also developed innovative ways to educate students and staff by creating virtual health rooms and health tip videos.

“Virtual school nursing presented unique challenges,” said D’Alto, “but our innovative and astute assessment skills have made school nurses able to connect with students using technology. I enjoyed making videos, holding virtual support group meetings, and even assisting with technology support for parents. We wear many hats as school nurses, but giving care and helping our students and the community is what makes this profession so rewarding.”

“Baltimore County is fortunate to have outstanding nurses like Ms. Gorman and Ms. D’Alto,” said Debbie Somerville, coordinator of the BCPS Office of Health Services. “The challenges of COVID have highlighted the creativity, resourcefulness, and dedication of our school nurses in promoting the health of our students and community.”

More in the video below.