The Northern Section California School Nurses Organization named Bonita Mallory, B.S.N., PHN, RN as the recipient of the School Nurse Administrator of the Year award during their annual spring conference held at Shriner’s Hospital, Sacramento.
Bonita Mallory is employed by Twin Rivers Unified School District as the Coordinator of Student Health, Wellness and Prevention. Bonita demonstrates superior creativity and leadership skills. She supports a team of 16 credentialed school nurses, 1 licensed vocational nurse, and 32 health assistants who serve students with special needs in special education programs, as well as the students on regular education school sites. Bonita has been a nurse for 32 years and worked in Public Health before becoming a school nurse 17 years ago.
“I am honored and humbled to be the Northern Section School Nurse Administrator of the Year representative,” Mallory commented after being notified of the honor. She also added, “School nursing has been my passion for over nineteen years and this recognition highlights the importance of having a credentialed school nurse to oversee the delivery of health services within a district. With the complexity of health issues encountered each day at the school sites and the potential of communicable disease outbreaks, the nursing assessment skills are essential for the protection of students, families, staff and the district.”
Northern Section California School Nurses Organization annually honors a school nurse of distinction who demonstrates excellence in school nursing practice and school health. Nominees for this honor must be a registered professional nurse, have five years of experience as a school nurse and currently be a school nurse practicing full-time. School nurses facilitate positive student responses to normal development; promote health and safety; intervene with actual and potential health problems; provide case management services; and actively collaborate with others to build student and family capacity for adaptation, self management, self advocacy and learning.
The National Association of School Nurses identifies school nursing as a specialized practice of professional nursing that advances the well being, academic success and life-long achievement of students.