These days when the phone rings, Martha Christensen, school nurse for Talahi Community School, Lincoln Elementary School, and Riverwoods, never knows what will come next. Whether questions regarding COVID symptoms or news of a positive case, the phone call is guaranteed to launch her into action. In all her years as a nurse, she says she has never seen anything like this pandemic. And more than ever, she’s realized just how important her job is in keeping the school and community safe.
Christensen comes from a family of 12 children. She grew up in the Detroit, Michigan area. Her father was a dentist and her mother a nurse. Four of her siblings are in medicine. So, she’s no stranger to the medical field.
“I actually went to the same nursing school/college [Nazareth College] that my mom went to and graduated 40 years later,” says Christensen. “I graduated in 1981. My mom graduated in 1941, and I have a niece graduating 40 years later in 2021. I have my mom’s nursing pin … [and] I’m going to give it to my niece when she graduates.”
Christensen says she is a scientist at heart. She loves the combination of art and science in nursing.
“You can use your science, but it is a lot of creativity, caring and community,” shares Christensen. “Providing information and preventing illness has always been fascinating to me. The public health piece has been my favorite [part] in my career.”
Christensen has served as a nurse on a medical surgical floor, in home healthcare, public health, orthopedics and dialysis. She has also done endocrine research and skilled home healthcare as well as been a diabetes nurse educator. All of these roles were prior to becoming a school nurse at St. Cloud Area School District 742.
“[In] public health, you try to prevent disease, promote health and protect your community, and that is definitely what’s happening as a school nurse,” says Christensen. “School nursing is public health at its finest.”
Christensen tells the other nurses in District 742 they will never see another public health initiative like this one. She finds it ironic because 14 years ago, her mentors in the public health told her the same thing about the H1N1 flu initiative.
“These are very exciting times to be in public health,” says Christensen, “as well as very challenging times. It’s exciting from a public global perspective–what we are doing.”
Christensen has been proud to be with District 742 during this year. She is amazed at the success in COVID tracking and how well the nurse group and schools have mitigated the pandemic.
“It’s really hard work at times,” she says, “but it is the right thing to do.”
In a non-global pandemic year, Christensen would perform hearing and vision screening for students and send referral letters home to families for students who may need assistance.
“It’s great to see a student come in with glasses [after a referral] because when a student can see better, they can learn better,” shares Christensen. “Right now, we can’t do those mass screenings, but if a teacher requests, I can do it. Quite often the teacher is right on and the student needs to be seen.”
Christensen also does special education assessments. She reviews student files to see if there are physical or cognitive impairments present that will impact learning. She assists with care plans for students as well so that teachers, paras, nurses and families are all on the same page when it comes to a student’s care and well-being.
When Christensen isn’t checking temperatures, contact tracing, calling families or tending to other students who are sick or injured, she is spending her free time outdoors. She particularly enjoys hiking, biking, swimming and paddleboarding back in Glen Arbor, Michigan where she summers every year for about seven weeks to reconnect with family.
“It’s my homeland,” smiles Christensen. “It’s my Nirvana. I really go there and recharge my battery. It’s beautiful … a really special place.”
As this global pandemic school year comes to an end, Christensen is in awe of what the nursing staff has accomplished in the last year. Collaboration and partnerships within the district and with each school have only grown tighter to reach the common goal of keeping students and staff safe and healthy. She knows that this year will go down in history illustrating just how important school nurses are to schools, families and the community.
Fun Facts:
- Christensen tries to get a 30-minute walk in every day.
- She loves connecting with friends.
- Christensen has two sons and one granddaughter.
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