Our speaker on Tuesday 28th May was Robyn Peterson - from Linden, a Mother of 6 and a School Nurse from Wellington Boys College Wellington.
Robyn recounted her work as a school nurse managing some 1,800 teenage boys, plus their 200 staff. Boys who may turn up at any moment in the day with mild health issues to major health issues. It's all in a fun-filled full day's work for Robyn. We were enlightened more than we or any parent needed to know about life at school.
The more series issues that can come across Robyn's day include cases of asthma, scoliosis, diabetes, seizures, eczema, psychogenic non-epileptic or pseudo seizures cancer, flu, broken limbs, mental health issues, and the effects of bullying and sexual orientation.
Robyn also deals with first aid kits for sports teams, board reports, and general first aid and care plans for staff and students.
Robyn's work also brings her into contact with a number of external agencies which include: Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS and ICAFS), Diabetes NZ, Blind and Low Vision Education Network (BLENNZ) - including Keratoconus (an abnormally thin curved cornea), GPs and Practice Nurses, Paediatric teams.
Unfortunately suicide is also ever present in schools. NZ has the highest rates of suicide in the developed world (highest among Maori and PI men), and also one of the worst rates of bullying on school. High rates of family violence, child abuse, and child poverty also contribute. Stress is also an issue for children - fitting in to the social scene with technology, online social media, and the ever present phone is the biggest difference to previous generations.
Robyn is also doing additional education papers in Klinefelter syndrome (extra C chromosome), transgender, and bullying, and for her own mental health well-being enjoys running, typically at 5 am before work.
Mike Kelly provided the 3-minute speaker slot with a discussion about his recent experience with obtaining his Ancestry DNA results. See https://www.genealogy.org.nz/dna_1565 for and introduction to more information about genealogical DNA testing.
