Ep4 (part 2) - The Experience of Public School Nurse Working with America’s Immigrant Students, Dr. Elizabeth Sassi from Monroe-Woodbury Central School District

On this episode of The Pursuit of Health Podcast, we continue our visit with Dr. Elizabeth Sassi, a Nurse Practitioner on the front lines of the Covid-19 pandemic in a large public school system just outside New York City. As a nurse with 38 years of experience, including 20 years in critical care and a background in Epidemiology, she brings a unique perspective to the role that public education plays in balancing health and education in these difficult times.
In Part 1, we followed Dr. Sassi and her colleagues through their arduous and compassionate efforts to cope with the Covid-19 pandemic. In Part 2 she provides keen insights on facing the pandemic through the Winter and into the Summer of 2021. She remembers some of the emotionally trying moments with her students, their families, and her colleagues.
Dr. Sassi dives further into the role of public education as an entry point into the U.S. Healthcare System, particularly for the underserved such as America’s newest immigrants. She shares the story of one particular young immigrant student who left a lasting impact on her life in response to a moment of kindness from Dr. Sassi and her family.
We discuss the myriad obstacles that new Immigrants face as they try to reach for a better life. Dr. Sassi has seen the lack of access to medical services, inequities due to language barriers, the fear of losing a job at odds with the needs for accurate reporting of health status, and the effects on health due to limited housing.

Dr. Sassi reminds us that we are a land of immigrants and that it takes a community to raise a child well. She asks us all to prioritize our health above the fears that we face daily. She makes us believe again that together we can go beyond fear and build a better community and society.

Dr. Elizabeth Sassi and the resources of her school system can be reached at www.mw.k12.ny.us.
You can follow Dr. Eric Fethke on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Tik Tok @drfethkemd
(This episode is also available in video format on Youtube @drfethkemd).

Follow me on Instagram and Facebook @ericfethkemd and checkout my website at www.EricFethkeMD.com.
My brand new book, The Privilege of Caring, is out now on Amazon! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CP6H6QN4