WVU School of Nursing alum creates “Emergency Go Bags” for Mon County Schools

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A West Virginia University School of Nursing alum is making emergency medical supplies readily available to school nurses across Monongalia County Schools.

Katie Murray, a nationally board-certified school nurse at University High School, sees students as they come to her office for illness and injury. She assesses whether the need to be seen by a doctor, to be sent home or if they can return to class. In her work, she is often called to a classroom by a teacher for a potential student emergency.

“They oftentimes don’t know what’s going on with the student, so when I get there, I find that I really could have used a blood pressure cuff or other tool to have more quickly administered care,” said Murray, who graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from WVU in 2011.

Seeing the need, Murray created “emergency go bags,” which she can quickly grab and go whenever a situation arises. She takes the bag whenever she is called to a classroom, or when there are fire drills or evacuations.

The bag includes basic first aid items, such as gauze, dressing pads, tape, wipes, a CPR mask, triage tags in case of a mass casualty, a “stop the bleed” kit and gloves. It also includes assessment tools, such as a, a blood pressure cuff, a stethoscope, a pulse oximeter and a pen light.

When Susan Newfield, WVU School of Nursing Chair of Community and Family Health, learned about the project, she offered funding earmarked for school health so Murray could create additional bags throughout the county. Murray has since replicated the project for all the middle and high schools in the county, as well as Monongalia County Technical Education Center and the Alternative Learning Center. Her supervisor, Susan Haselbacher, has since found additional funding to provide bags for every school in the county.

“I wanted all nurses to have the same bag with the same setup, everything is in the same pockets, so if we have a substitute, that person would also be familiar,” Murray said. “Also, when you’re in an emergency and you need to find something, it’s nice to have it all in one area and know where it is.”

An inventory sheet comes with the bags, featuring a diagram of the bag and all its labeled pockets, which helps when items need to be restocked. As she sees the additional needs, she has added items like snacks and emergency medications for students who need epi-pens or seizure medicine.

“I’m really glad I was able to do this. I really hope it helps the school system to provide quicker, more accurate care,” Murray said. “I’m still learning, and I’m sure we have things in there we’ll never need, but we want to be prepared in case.”

Not only is Murray making a difference in the school system, but she is also a preceptor making an impact on current nursing students during their community rotation. She can accommodate two students at a time, and she said she has enjoyed the precepting experience.

“I have always loved the education side of nursing. It fits with the job I’m in now, educating students on chronic conditions, providing that insight for nursing students on what I do and what a different type of nursing it is,” she said.

She encourages students to consider options outside of the hospital setting if they’re looking for unique opportunities. For Murray, her job as a school nurse affords her the type of schedule that she wants for herself and her family.

“School nursing is something that’s there for you and it’s a pretty great job,” Murray said. “I tell my nursing students all the time about how much my professors at WVU really helped me prepare. Even if it seems like you’re just preparing for the hospital setting, you can use those skills in so many areas.”

-WVU-

CONTACT: Wendy Holdren
Director of Communications and Marketing
WVU School of Nursing
304-581-1772; wendy.holdren@hsc.wvu.edu