Taking Great Care

A conversation with Suzanne Winefordner, RN, Trinity school nurse about managing the on-campus health of students, faculty and staff during a pandemic year

Do you remember the moment last spring when you realized just how disruptive and life-changing this all was going to be?

When we started virtual school and were unable to gather on campus for prom, graduation, sports, art and music events and so many more activities that would usually bring us together as Titans was when I realized it would not be the same. The moment that I realized it would be so disruptive and life-changing came to me more during the summer while I was taking in all the information to be able to help open the school in August safely. I knew with all the mitigation that was being put in place just to be in school, it would change lives forever. School would look so different to all of us and we would all need to support each other during this challenging time to be able to be together on campus.

How has your day-to-day work changed from last year (or a normal year) to this year? What do you spend the bulk of your day working on now?

My day-to-day work is ...all COVID, all the time... with a few times of normalcy in the clinic. Keeping up to date with VDH (Virginia Department of Health) and CDC (Centers for Disease Control) is the most time consuming part of my day due to the constant changing recommendations. Contact tracing has become a large part of my day as well. Most recently, I have added vaccination scheduling for our faculty and staff to make sure everyone that wants the vaccine has the opportunity to schedule both appointments so they are fully vaccinated.

Have you seen a noticeable decrease in other illnesses (cold, flu, etc.) this year as a result of the safety practices? How has foot traffic in your office changed?

I definitely have seen a decrease in other illnesses this year due to the mitigation strategies in our community and beyond. As well as the decrease in the number of students on campus each day and using caution to stay home if you are not feeling well has helped to decrease the traffic in the clinic.

Who/what have been the most helpful resources (external) for guidance, information and support over these months?

During the beginning, after schools closed, Virginia school nurses, private and public, gathered on weekly Zoom calls to discuss new developments over the week. Some calls were over 400 participants. It was always filled with information, guidance and lots of support. Their support is still seen monthly or more whenever needed. After starting in person learning, VDH became the weekly Meet calls for guidance on all things COVID. I can not express how much gratitude I have for all the people at VDH that have supported our school during this journey and still continue to be there anytime day or night, weekday or weekend for us.

What are the things that community members have done well — that have helped us the most — that you would like to applaud and thank them for? What are you most proud of?

I am proud of all the hard work each and everyone has done to make sure we were here for our students and families. I am grateful for all the support from teachers, parents, students, and staff so we could open and remain open during this pandemic. It takes the whole Titan community to be here and it shows.

What has been the most consistent/persistent challenge?

The most consistent challenge has been not knowing when it will end and keeping COVID fatigue at a minimum. I would not have guessed at the beginning we would have been in this for over a year.

Is there anything else you think the wider community would appreciate knowing about how the school has managed the pandemic from the perspective of health and safety?

All in all, numbers have been remarkably steady. Because our community has been so consistent about mask-wearing, distancing and following contact tracing protocols, when inevitable cases have arisen, we have been able to mitigate the potential spread and limit their disruption to school.