Meet Justine Okoh, BSN, RN

As a teenager, Justine Okoh, BSN, RN, didn’t have her heart set on a certain career path. Her church’s priest, however, knew exactly what her calling was.  

While in high school Justine was volunteering at her church and was put in charge of running activities for children and helping them with their homework. It was during this time that her priest saw she had an incredible gift of connecting with kids.   

“One day, when we finished mass, he asked to see my dad, so I thought I did something wrong,” she explained. “My dad went over to see the parish priest and came home with a load of forms and an application to the School of Nursing.”  

Justine admitted she was hesitant at first, joking that at the time she “didn’t like blood,” but she knew in her heart that she loved to help people. Her dad encouraged her to apply, and Justine took a leap of faith.  

She attended nursing and midwifery school in Nigeria and gained experience in labor and delivery and emergency surgery before moving to the U.S., where she also gained experience in long term care and home care. She joined Children's School Services (CSS) team in 2011. She obtained her Bachelor’s in Nursing and is currently working towards completing her master’s in public health. 

Now, dealing with blood is the least of her concerns. She confesses that the hardest part of her job is saying goodbye to the kids who are graduating, but she accepts those bittersweet moments in exchange for working in a role she adores.   
Her favorite part of the day is when students stop by her office. Often, students come to discuss serious topics like their health condition, but sometimes they just come to say hello – walking directly from the main door and right to Justine to tell her all about their weekend.  

Justine is honored that she gets to be a small part in these student’s lives where she can help them proactively through preventive care, treatment, care coordination, serving as the bridge between the parents, the students, the school and the students’ providers.  

And Justine’s impact on the students and the community has not gone unnoticed. Earlier this year, she was named the School Nurse of the Year by the District of Columbia School Nurse Association. 

“I was blown away that I was recognized for something that I have so much love and so much passion for,” she says, adding how grateful she is to be part of CSS where she can experience the joys of being a school nurse.  

Justine thanks the Team 7 Nurses, and the leadership of CSS as well as her Nurse Manager Patricia Tolson for their endless support and encouragement.