Nurse Kinsey trades in the ER for the 600s wing

Karen Kinsey, the new school nurse, brings a new level of experience straight from the ER to the school in the hopes of helping students stay healthy. Kinsey has worked as a nurse for 24 years, but it was not until a few years ago when she left behind the busy schedule of being an ER nurse for her family. 

Growing up with a mother who was a nurse, Kinsey quickly gained an interest in the medical field. 

“I was always very proud of the fact that my mother was a nurse,” she said.

After a year of going away to school, Kinsey said, she realized that she had really wanted to be a nurse. That was when she came home to go to nursing school. 

Working in the surgical trauma ICU at University Hospital in Newark, Kinsey found nursing a very high intense field. However, once she started a family, she wanted a change of pace. 

“I got married and had kids and spent an entire weekend at the hospital and didn’t see my kids at all,” Kinsey said. “And I decided that’s not the kind of life I wanted.”

At that point, Kinsey said, she decided to take a step back from her demanding ER schedule to work as a part-time nurse in schools. Now that her kids are older and attending school themselves, she is ready to take on a full-time school nurse position. This led her to West Essex, where she says the adjustment has been an easy one. 

“Everybody’s extremely friendly,” Kinsey said. “The students are great. It’s a very warm, welcoming environment.” 

The previous ER nurse enjoys the different feel of a school environment as opposed to the impersonal hospital experience. She has an appreciation for being able to see a student through their journey of recovery, start to finish. 

“When I worked in the ICU, we’d have you for a very short period of time when you were acutely ill, and then we’d send you to the floor.” Kinsey said. “So [in schools], there’s more of a community feel. You get to see the end product of your help.”

While Kinsey enjoys the change of environment, she is thankful for her past experiences in a more high-intensity workplace. 

“I know a crazy amount of things about the human body that nobody will realize. Just especially because of my past experience,” she said. “[Nurses] know a little bit about a lot.” 

On top of staying physically healthy, Kinsey understands the importance of mental health for teenagers. She said she wants students to know that she is always there to listen. 

“They will never be judged when they walk into my office,” Kinsey said.