YATESVILLE – After working as a school nurse at Pittston Area for 33 years, MaryBeth Yakobitis is retiring and leaving with great recognition.
Yakobitis, RN, BSN, CSN, MEQ, was recently honored with the School Nurse Excellence Award for the Northeast Region of Pennsylvania of 2024, which acknowledges her outstanding service to students and staff, as nominated by her peers.
She was honored at an awards event at the Hershey Lodge Conference Center on Saturday, March 23. Yakobitis and her family were present to accept the award.
Anne-Marie Crawford, MSN RN NCSN, president of the PA Assoc. of School Nurses and Practitioners, described Yakobitis as a role model who passionately serves all certified school nurses in Pennsylvania.
After earning her nursing degree, Yakobitis initially worked in pediatrics at the former Nesbitt Memorial Hospital and later in obstetrics in the Neo-Natal Intensive Care Unit.
While working at Nesbitt Memorial, an opportunity for a part-time school nurse position arose at Pittston Area, leading Yakobitis to realize that school nursing was her calling.
“I developed a strong passion for school nursing and realized this was where I belonged,” Yakobitis said. “I could apply my clinical expertise to serve the students at the school.”
During her 33 years in the field, Yakobitis has observed significant changes in school nursing, from having the ability to dispense medication to being restricted from doing so, as well as facing an increase in mandatory paperwork from the state.
Yakobitis explained that the state mandates the presence of a nurse at all times, and they are required to review every student's medical file in terms of their individual health needs, treatment plan, and physician's instructions.
“In the past, we used to provide teachers with pills for students to take on field trips,” Yakobitis remarked. “Now, this is not permitted; staff members must be trained, and individual permission for a student on a field trip is necessary.”
Yakobitis pointed out that the nursing department is licensed by the State of Pennsylvania and cannot administer medication without a doctor's authorization.
“Parents may not realize that allowing us to give their child Tylenol or Advil goes against the regulations of the State of Pennsylvania,” Yakobitis added.
According to Yakobitis, there is a requirement to complete a form for nearly every student, and she closely collaborates with guidance counselors regarding students with medical conditions that may impact their schooling.
She follows doctor’s orders and individual health plans to facilitate students' attendance at school.
Yakobitis noted an increase in diabetes and emotional issues like anxiety and depression among students over the years.
“In 1991 when I started, we had maybe one student with diabetes in the entire district, which was surprising,” Yakobitis recalled. “Now, it's becoming more common, and it's not unusual to have over 10 students with diabetes just in the high school. Last year, we had 13.”
Yakobitis supervises three certified nurses and four health room technicians.
Yakobitis plans to retire at the end of the upcoming school year, marking the end of her time at Pittston Area.
She expressed mixed feelings about retiring, wanting to remain involved in NASA, PASNAP, and PSEA unions, despite being with EFT.
Despite retiring at the age of 60, Yakobitis and her husband Ken, who have three daughters in the medical field, are eagerly anticipating two of their daughters' weddings.
