NAWSON Faculty Member Wins Publication Award

The Journal of School Nursing (JOSN) awarded Dr. Frankie B. Hale, the 2024 JOSN/SAGE First Publication Award. The First Publication Award recognizes writing excellence of a first-time school nurse author. Hale served as first author of the manuscript, “Effects of the COVID 19 pandemic on school nurses’ resiliency and ability to cope: A mixed methods study in the state of Hawaii.” Co-authors included Dr. Deborah Mattheus, Betty Fletcher, Dr. Alexandra Michel, and Dr. Holly B. Fontenot. 

The manuscript was chosen from all the eligible manuscripts published in 2023 in JOSN. JOSN is a bi-monthly, peer-reviewed journal that focuses on improving the health of school children and the health of the school community. It is published by SAGE Publications. JOSN/Sage presented Hale with the award during the JOSN Editorial Advisory Board meeting on June 27, 2024, in Chicago, Illinois. (Hale attended virtually.)  

“Winning this award from JOSN/Sage was humbling, and I am incredibly thankful for everyone involved,” Hale says. Reflecting on the manuscript subject matter, she adds, “I believe when we think of frontline nurses, school nurses should be among them. We need to know about the hard work school nurses input daily, from their front line, in their everyday effort to promote a healthy and safe school environment.”

Hale is now working on a follow-up study with Mattheus, exploring school nurses’ stress, resilience and workplace issues in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.