GoodHeart | Tamra Douglas-Atkinson goes beyond first aid to support students

Tamra Douglas-Atkinson laughs when she recalls a moment that unknowingly highlighted one of the biggest misconceptions about school nurses. A few months ago, a student came to her in distress, experiencing shortness of breath. After guiding them through breathing exercises and relaxation techniques, Douglas-Atkinson helped them calm down and sent them back to class.

Hours later, the student returned, visibly excited: “Miss! The breathing exercise works, yuh a real nurse fi true!”

Douglas-Atkinson was not offended. Instead, she found the interaction amusing. Beneath the humour, however, was a reality she has come to recognise during her nearly four years as a school nurse at Kellits High School in Clarendon. Many people still do not fully understand the important role school nurses play in supporting students.

“People ask me all the time when I’m going to get a ‘real nursing job’,” she shared. “A lot of people still believe nurses only belong in hospitals.”

For hundreds of students at Kellits High School, Douglas-Atkinson’s work extends far beyond treating minor injuries. For many, she has become a trusted adult during some of the most difficult moments of their young lives.

The 25-year-old, born and raised in Lampson District, grew up surrounded by family in what she affectionately describes as a “big yard”, living alongside cousins, grandparents, aunts, siblings and both parents.

Although nursing was never part of a lifelong plan, her desire to help others developed after witnessing a close friend's struggle with depression and suicidal thoughts as a teenager.

“I wanted to understand what causes depression and why people reach the point where they want to hurt themselves,” she explained. “I wanted to know what I could do to help.”

After studying nursing at Northern Caribbean University, Douglas-Atkinson entered the field of school nursing after learning about a vacancy at Kellits High School through a former lecturer.

Once she arrived, she discovered what she describes as a growing emotional and mental health crisis among students.

“We realised students were struggling silently,” she said. “Some students are not going to walk into counselling sessions. Some students don’t even understand the language to explain what they’re feeling, and don’t know how to process their emotions. When they don’t have good emotional models around them, it affects every area of their lives — their academics, friendships and even how they see themselves.”

Determined to bridge that gap, Douglas-Atkinson began creating programmes to support students’ well-being.

Among them is an annual suicide prevention awareness seminar aimed primarily at Grade Seven students, helping them understand trauma, self-harm, emotional regulation and mental health from an early age. She has also introduced classroom interventions, wellness newsletters, and collaborative initiatives with guidance counsellors and teachers.

Though the emotional demands of the job can be heavy, Douglas-Atkinson says the work continues to give her a sense of purpose. Her role requires empathy, observation, and the ability to recognise distress before it escalates into crisis.

“I want to help as many students as possible and meet their specific needs as much as I can.”

Her dedication earned recognition through The Good You Give initiative, which is a programme by Malta that celebrates Jamaicans making meaningful contributions within their communities.

Still, Douglas-Atkinson insists that going above and beyond should not be viewed as extraordinary.

“I think it should be natural for us to want to help each other,” she reflected. “That’s how we create the kind of society we want to live in.”

goodheart@gleanerjm.com