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Congratulations
Nurse Diane Durando, State School Nurse of the Year
By Jeanne Pradini,
Coordinator Nursing Services*
Posted on December 1, 2010
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 Diane
Durando, Buchanan High School Nurse, has been awarded
the prestigious California State School Nurse of the
Year by the California School Nurses Organization (CSNO).
This award is given for all-around excellence in the
practice of school nursing. She will be honored at the
California State School Nurses Annual Conference in
Fresno at the Radisson Hotel and Conference Center on
March 5, 2011.
The award is very
meaningful to Durando. “I was very humbled yet very
honored,” she said. “I am very enthusiastic about
promoting school nursing and all we do for children. I
feel people don’t understand the complexity of all we do
for children.”
At Buchanan,
Durando’s first priority is the students; she cares for
them with compassion, enthusiasm and diligence. She says
she most enjoys working with children and teaching them
how to promote their own health needs and teaching them
about preventative care.
As a school nurse,
Durando has been active in her professional organization
promoting the health of children throughout the state of
California. She has held various positions on the
Central Valley CSNO Board for over 10 years. Currently
she is also a co-chair for the government relations at
the state level. She is the chair for the annual CSNO
conference in Fresno next year. She has testified before
the state assembly on behalf of safe care for children
in the schools and also visits legislators encouraging
legislation that promotes safe and best practice for
children needing medical support in schools.
In addition, all of
her mandated requirements are completed in an efficient
and timely manner. Durando participates in School
Attendance Review Board, 504 and special education
evaluations, and facilitates support groups for
students. She provides CPR classes for the staff and is
a health resource for anyone in need.
Her dedication to
CUSD is extensive. She worked at Miramonte Elementary
from 1984 to 1986 at which time she worked overseas for
the U.S. Department of Defense as a school nurse in
Germany for soldiers’ children. She returned to CUSD in
1991 working at Liberty Elementary and Clovis Primary;
she has been at Buchanan since 1993.
Though she was
awarded for being “school nurse” of the year, her
contributions and influence transcend the school level.
At the district level, Durando was one of the nurses
involved in the development of the computer charting
system NC2K which is now used throughout the state. She
also collects and computes the statistics on health
conditions for the entire district. She initiated the
development of a district-wide system with technology
for the collection of health conditions and the
efficient transfer of information between schools.
Durando is a
resource for Central Valley school nurses and parents
for diabetes. She is a trained diabetes educator for the
schools. She has volunteered in the community as a camp
nurse for children with diabetes for 20 years. Her
passion for supporting those with diabetes is very
personal. “My son was diagnosed with diabetes in 1986
and I saw how little the schools understood about taking
care of a child with diabetes,” she said. “I wanted to
advocate for the child and teachers. I could really see
where the problems were occurring. I wanted to help
change happen in a positive way.”
She also started a
support group for children and parents with the Red
Cross in Germany for families of U.S. military overseas.
We are fortunate to
have an individual of her character, ability and
experience. She is a very positive and friendly
individual who continues to set high standards for
herself in her professional career. Diane Durando
exemplifies the
characteristics of someone we can all proudly call
School Nurse of the Year.
*This article was originally
published in CUSD Today, Novembr 2010, and is
republished on
ExperienceClovis.com
with permission. All rights reserved.
 Jefferson
Elementary Receives Prestigious 2010 National
Blue
Ribbon School Honor
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