Muscatine school nurse named Iowa School Nurse of the Year

MUSCATINE, Iowa (KWQC) - A dedicated nurse with over two decades of experience has been recognized as the Iowa School Nurse Organization School Nurse of the Year for 2024.

Wendy Donald, with over 25 years of experience, has had her passion and commitment noticed. On March 7th, she was named School Nurse of the Year by the Iowa School Nurse Organization.

“It was a bit surreal because I figured that there are a lot of us out there in Iowa who are working every day in the trenches trying to improve health for our students,” said Donald.

Serving as a nurse for the Muscatine School District for the past seven years and currently working at Susan Clark Junior High, she has become a cornerstone of support for students, families, and staff.

“I think working in a school setting and making sure that needs are met and that the nurses have a voice in the building. That has been my latest project: working with school administration on inclusion of the school nurse, not just for me, but I’m very fortunate I have seven other school nurses in the district that we can get together as a group,” said Donald.

She has been a strong advocate for the essential role that school nurses play in promoting student health. Donald says every day presents its unique challenges, but it’s incredibly rewarding to be able to make a positive impact on the lives of students.

“It always gives me kind of a warm feeling because I know that there was a bond there and it hasn’t gone away. And so obviously I want to see those kids thrive and be successful. And sometimes when kids have chronic health conditions, they question things differently than their peers, and so that makes me feel good that they still reach out and want to have a relationship with me when they’re in high school.”

Her journey is marked by countless moments of compassion and resilience. She collaborates closely with educators, parents, and healthcare professionals to address the diverse health needs of the students.

“I’m also working with our local Express Care here in town. We have a weekly communication now. So, their local Express Care team tells me their trends, their illness trends, and then all of us school nurses, like I said, there are eight of us in the district, we’re able to ask questions to the Express Care team. It’s helping us help parents understand the need of when to send a child to school, when to keep them home, when to seek medical care,” said Donald.

“Most parents aren’t asking me about their child’s diet or nutritional status. I just worry about that because Muscatine is one of seven counties in Iowa that has a high obesity rate. And so our community is looking at that piece. And I’m on that community committee to help address that.”

Her impact extends far beyond the walls of the school. In 2018, she worked with a group of middle school students on a project that raised $1,000 to entertain kids while they’re waiting in the ER.

“The students that learned how to bead the bracelets were able to go to the local store and provide the funds to buy age-appropriate toys that were also appropriate for a hospital setting,” said Donald.

Donald will be honored at the Iowa School Nurse Organization Conference in Newton in April. She will also be honored at the National Association of School Nurses Conference in Chicago this summer.

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