School nurse

Fort Vancouver High School

Years with VPS: 20

Valerie Hunt, nurse, Fort Vancouver High SchoolMost memorable career experience: A car accident left one of my students with a fractured skull and neck damage. To help her return to her classes, I set up a plan for her care at school. Since she couldn’t talk, I also facilitated her receiving an iPad with a speaking program.

A few things I’ve learned: School nursing can be challenging. We are considered first responders, without a hospital team and with few supplies. We care for a wide variety of illnesses, diseases and conditions. We provide urgent, emergent, chronic, mild to severe and life-threatening care. School nursing is a huge responsibility; it is intense and I love it.

Three words that describe me: Knowledgeable, caring and happy.

When I’m not working, I: Enjoy family time, walking my collie dogs and taking them to the dog park, practicing hot yoga and competing. Currently, I am the Senior Women’s Regional and Washington State Yoga Asana Champion. I enjoy exercising our family horse, gardening and crocheting.

Learn more about the district’s school nurses in “More than just bandages and boo-boos: Care comes in many forms.” Look for more #TeamVPS profiles in the January 2016 issue of Inside Vancouver Public Schools and search for the hashtag on Twitter to see more examples of the great things going on in the district!