New nurse plans to educate staff, students on importance of health

Dressed in her print scrubs and matching crocs, nurse Doreen Herbert is ready to tackle all the health and medical issues the world may throw at her. Twenty-four some years ago, Herbert had no idea she would working in the nursing of Central High School. Her history with Central goes beyond what meets the eye. Over two decades ago, Herbert met her husband, Tim, on the very third side of the first floor that hosts the main office. Now, she is a new addition to the school’s team of nurses.
After seeing the position opening listed online, Herbert saw it as an opportunity to become a part the Central family and acquired the position of full-time nurse. “We have been a Central family for many years now, my husband has worked here for 27 years…I kind of needed a new setting away from the hospital and I love kids,” Herbert said.

Although Herbert now a part of the Eagle family, she was at Nebraska Medicine for 14 years. Along with Nebraska Medicine, Herbert worked at Children’s Hospital and for the Red Cross. What prescribed her prompt of scenery and decision to work at Central was the tradition and atmosphere the school is commonly known for. “There’s so much about Central. The community support, my husband working here, and I know they [Central] does a lot outside to benefit the community,” Herbert said. They were all factors in Herbert’s decision to tackle a job at Central.
But before then, Herbert had always known she wanted to be a nurse, not only because it runs in her family, but because she has always loved people. She received her nursing degree through Bishop Clarkson College which paved the way for a successful career, “I always wanted to make a difference in someone else’s life. When I started, I was working in a nursing home and I loved taking care of the elderly and loved hearing about their stories,” Herbert commented.

Moreover, Herbert describes one of her fine qualities pertaining to her experiences as a nurse. “All my patients or the people that I help, I treat them like I would my own family members.” As understanding and benevolence is what she considers a part of the job and one of her own special values. “I think that it is important to show compassion and kindness and pretty much the Golden Rule,” Herbert said.

According to Herbert, there are some outlining advantages and disadvantages to working in a school versus a hospital or clinic. For starters, “I would probably say the resources, the equipment, you don’t have your staff and physicians right here with you to help diagnose immediate things,” Herbert said. While she has no opinion on which setting is better, she likes that there is more flexibility and the fact she uses her judgment and women’s intuition more in a school atmosphere. As for her goals for the future, “I hope to not only take care of the students here, but help with the staff on educating other staff, students, and parents on differing health issues,” Herbert said. It’s important to note that Herbert is bringing her 24 years of experience for the benefit of bettering Central’s health department.

To have such passion for a career, one must favor an ideal that comes with the job. For Herbert that is, “I would have to say making a difference in someone’s life and just helping them, educating them and making them feel better. [I like] helping them be more independent in their care,” Herbert said.
Herbert responds to her feelings of being in the same workplace as her husband by jokingly saying, “He’s far from me.” She takes her and her husband’s job position’s overlining in great stride. It’s almost like a homecoming for all their years together. After her son graduated from Central and having another son currently in attendance, the school seemed like the perfect fit to Herbert’s readiness of into a new chapter of her life.

She had no real expectations upon getting the job, aside from Central’s traditional excellence. She’s expressed her gratitude and gratefulness toward PAULA, Central’s health aide. “Well, I was thinking I was flying solo for a while, but Paula has been my rockstar, she has been my guide, I couldn’t do it without her,” Herbert said.
As for other staff members properly welcoming Herbert, “The staff has been wonderful, everyone has been so supportive and a lot of people have come in and introduce themselves. I’ve met new and old staff, they have popped their heads in,” Herbert said. That much could be deduced through the plentiful flowers sat atop the counters.

Doreen Herbert is a passionate nurse with a knack for educating all those who care about their health while maintaining a positive attitude and outlook on life.