Health Department

  During National Nurses Month, we honor the heart, dedication, and quiet heroism of nurses across the country. This edition of Profiles in Public Health recognizes someone whose journey into nursing began with compassion at home and has grown into a 30-year career of extraordinary service—the Health Department’s Nurse of the Year, Julie Smith. From her earliest memories, caregiving was second nature. “I grew up with elderly grandparents at home,” Julie recalls. “My mom was their caretaker, and it was just natural for me to help out. From a young age, I cared for my grandmother—it’s all I ever wanted to do.” She followed that calling, working as a certified nurse’s aide in high school before pursuing her nursing degree. Three decades later, that childhood instinct evolved into a distinguished nursing career spanning prison healthcare, cardiac step-down, medical-surgical floors, clinics, and, ultimately, public health. Julie has served with the Fairfax County Health Department for eight years, a move initially motivated by her own family’s needs. “We’re a military family, and we moved around a lot,” she explains. “As my kids got older and 12-hour hospital shifts became harder, I wanted something more balanced. I saw a posting for a public health nurse and thought, ‘That sounds like a great fit.’ It ended up being perfect.” What began as a search for balance quickly became a mission. As a School Health nurse, Julie now serves not just as a clinician, but as an advocate, educator, and trusted presence in the lives of hundreds of students and families. She cites the ability to build deep, lasting connections as a major difference from her previous experiences. “In the hospital, you care for someone in crisis—then they’re gone the next day,” Julie says. “But in school health, you get to see the same students day after day, year after year. I’ve followed students with chronic conditions like diabetes from kindergarten to sixth grade. Being part of their lives as they grow and learn—it’s incredibly meaningful.” Among the many lives she’s touched, one case stands out. A young boy who had lived with an ostomy since infancy arrived at school with minimal medical supplies and limited family resources. Collaborating with care coordination teams, social workers, and local services, she helped guide the child and his father through a life-changing surgery and recovery process. “He came from a Latin American country with just his dad and had lived with this condition his whole life,” she shares. “Seeing him return to school after the reversal surgery, happier and with a new outlook on life—it was one of those moments that reminds you why we do this work.” Julie’s empathy extends beyond physical health. One of the most pressing concerns she sees today is the growing youth mental health crisis. “We’re seeing younger and younger students with mental health needs,” she says. “So many come to the health room with physical symptoms rooted in anxiety or depression. The stigma still exists, and resources are limited, but the need is enormous. Connecting students and families to help is one of our most urgent challenges.” Despite the gravity of the issues she faces, her message to aspiring nurses is one of hope and encouragement. “Nursing is such a diverse field. There’s job security, yes, but more importantly, there are so many ways to make a difference. Public health nursing, in particular, gives you that balance—and the impact you can make is huge.” Julie praises the health department as a uniquely collaborative environment where no nurse works alone. “If I have a student with a suspected communicable disease, I can reach out to our epidemiology team. If there’s a concern about pregnancy, I have maternal-child health to support. The internal resources here are incredible.” As Julie reflects on three decades in nursing, she smiles and says, “I used to look at the seasoned nurses and think, ‘Wow, they’ve seen it all.’ Now I’m one of those seasoned nurses.” On this anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing, we recognize not just her years of service, but the compassion, resilience, and quiet strength Julie brings to every school hallway and every child she cares for. Her story is a powerful reminder that the heart of nursing is in the lasting impact nurses make every single day.