PSEA is a community of education professionals who make a difference in the lives of students every day.
PEARL and Center for Professional Learning
M. Ed. Partnership Program through PennWest U.
Professional Publications Library
Bridgette May is a fifth-year certified school nurse in the Erie City School District, Erie County, and the full-time caregiver to her two children, ages 12 and 9.
She left a high-paying job as a critical care nurse in Texas and moved to Erie to be closer to her mother, who has a disability. She had also hoped to spend more time with her kids.
Instead, May has had to work multiple jobs just to make ends meet. She struggles with student loan debt, providing for her family, and spending quality time with her children, one of whom has asthma.
“Initially I started thinking, ‘I’m a nurse, it wouldn’t be that much of a difference in pay.’ But it was.’’