SHIRLEY M. GILFORD, BSN, RN of Bellevue received her Baccalaureate
Degree in Nursing Science from the University of Washington and has been a contributing
member of WSNA for over 38 years. In 1973, Shirley was Chair of WSNA's first Minority
Affairs Committee. Over the years, Shirley also served in several committees for
ANA and for KCNA. During the time she served on the KCNA Board of Directors, she
helped develop the Adopt a School Project, which was a pilot project at her middle
school to encourage students to consider nursing as a profession. She is a retired
Seattle school nurse, where for thirty-two years, she provided health services for
students at all grade levels. Shirley has maintained membership in the Mary Mahoney
Professional Nurses Organization since 1958 and served a term as their President.
Shirley's enthusiasm, dedication, and concern for health care and health education
has been translated into practical benefits to the students she served. She ensured
health education occurred daily during each contact with a student, involving discussions
on self care, practices to prevent illness, and accessing the health care system.
Because she firmly believes the health and well being of children contribute to
their learning ability, much of her time was spent preventing, identifying, or remediating
the health and learning problems of her students.
Shirley used her knowledge of community resources creatively and effectively. In
addition to referrals of students to community clinics and agencies like Child Protective
Services, she provided information from community resources to parents and school
staff. To heighten the awareness of staff about health concerns, she provided speakers
from the community at faculty meetings. Shirley always maintained open communication
with parents and assisted in getting their children plugged into health care facilities
in the community. She taught Red Cross First Aid classes for staff and parents after
school and during weekends.
Shirley served on the oversight committee for the AIDS Awareness play, "Live Wire",
which was produced for middle school students and offered throughout the city and
state. She held health fairs for students in her middle school and did screening
at community health fairs.
Shirley was an active member of the Seattle School Nurses Association and served
as President. As Chair of SNOW's Practice Committee for six years, she helped develop
Standards of Practice for School Nurses and a Position Paper on the Role of Professional
School Nurses in the Seattle School District. This committee developed a slide presentation
showing the role of school nurses and the importance of a quality health services
program. It was shown to community groups, the school board, and the PTSA.
Shirley served on the Board and as secretary of the Washington Health Education
Alliance. This organization supported comprehensive health education curricula and
worked legislatively to get bills passed that would influence local school districts.
The changes in the laws regarding scoliosis screening and immunizations for school
age children came about with written and verbal testimony from those individuals
like Shirley.
The impact of Shirley's contribution on the lives of the children will have a lasting
effect. Even now, former students share the impact her influence has had on their
lives. The documents and curricula she helped develop continue to be used.
