Carolina Dulce Craft, inspired to become a nurse after her father’s stroke, has over seven years of hospital experience, including time as a travel nurse. This year, she’s taken on the role of a school nurse, focusing on student health and education. Wingspan sat down with Dulce Craft to find out more about her experiences and journey into nursing. 

Wingspan: What inspired you to become a nurse, and how did your journey lead you to work in a high school?

Craft: “So what inspired me to become a nurse was when I was in high school, I was going on through a lot with my family, my dad having a stroke and I remember, all of those nurses either had a hospital as well as school impacted my life positively when I was going through all these struggles, so that’s when I knew I wanted to become a nurse.”

Wingspan: What was your previous job before coming to our school?

Craft: “I was working at a hospital, so I was a travel nurse before and before that, I was working at a hospital. So, I have been working at the hospital for the past 7 years. So it required different experiences and orthopedic, stroke units, newer units, and all different things.”

Wingspan: Can you describe a typical day in your role as a school nurse?
Craft: “This is my first year being a school nurse, so I find myself you know replying or reading a lot of emails from parents, staff, and as well as seeing people in the clinic every five minutes, you know we have a good flow of people coming in and out as you have noticed, and  I get to help everybody differently but most importantly help as of my students at your age learn about the different topics, learn why things can be achy sometimes and what’s normal and what’s not.” 

Wingspan: How did COVID-19 affect your role as a nurse?

Craft: “It was a very hectic time, but again it was very rewarding to be at the front line of everything and see how it was happening and how it got better and worse, and what helped. So, it’s just you like they say at that time, we felt like superheroes at the time, doing something that nobody else could.”

Wingspan: How do you feel about the flu season this year?

Craft: “I don’t know yet, but I am really excited that we have a flu clinic coming up on the 12th of next month. I have sent emails and information about it. So, I hope that everybody gets to get vaccinated.”

Wingspan: What is the best part of being a nurse?

Craft: “The best part of being a nurse is how rewarding it can be to help people in all different aspects, sometimes you can refer people to certain things or educate them on certain topics, so you’ll get to help a lot of your community in that sense.”

Wingspan: What advice would you give students about their mental health during stressful times?

Craft: “Mental health is very important, as they say whenever you’re in an airplane you gotta put on your oxygen mask before you can help anybody else. Mental health is very similar, you can understand that you gotta take care of yourself before you can help anybody else, so you will wanna make sure that you are doing whatever fills your cup, if it is reading, if it is exercising, or walking. Doing all those things helps you and releases stress and anxiety in a healthy way.”

Wingspan: What advice would you give to students pursuing a career in healthcare or nursing?

Craft: “That is very rewarding but that it requires a lot of studying. So, to be disciplined.”