"MSNA is excited to have two great nurses serving our state as School Nurse Consultants through MDE. Donnis and Tammie have been leaders in their schools, regions, and the state School Nurse Organization for many years. They provide a wealth of information to help both new school nurses and experienced school nurses organize and utilize our data, knowledge, and skills to care for students and communities across the state.

We look forward to working with both of them as we all strive to make Mississippi schools healthy and safe for all who enter our hallways and campuses."

— Jill Zattoni, BSN, RN MSNA President, 2024–26

**Advancing School Health Across Mississippi**

The hiring of Harris and Reeder represents an important step in enhancing the quality, consistency, and coordination of school health services in Mississippi. As School Nurse Consultants, they will serve as essential liaisons among the Mississippi Department of Education, school districts, and the statewide community of school nursing professionals.

MSNA applauds both nurses for their continued dedication to Mississippi’s students and looks forward to ongoing collaboration to support healthier, safer, and more resilient school environments.

Protecting Our Profession and Our Students: A Thanksgiving Message from a Mississippi School Nurse

As we head into the Thanksgiving break, I want to take a moment to express my gratitude for every school nurse across our state. The work you do matters more than many people will ever realize. You provide safety, stability, comfort, and medical expertise to students who depend on you every single day. I hope this upcoming break gives you time to rest, recharge, and enjoy moments with the people you love.

But before we unplug for the holiday, I want to share two urgent national policy developments that could significantly—and negatively—impact school nursing in Mississippi and beyond. These issues deserve our attention, and our voices.

1. Federal Redefinition of “Professional Degree” Places Nursing at Risk

Recent reporting from The Relentless School Nurse highlights a troubling proposal from the U.S. Department of Education: a policy shift that may exclude nursing degrees from the classification of “professional degrees” for purposes of federal loan forgiveness and related programs.

If enacted, this change would:

• Undermine recognition of nursing as a professional discipline

• Limit or remove access to student-loan forgiveness for advanced nursing degrees

• Discourage nurses—especially those in rural or underserved areas—from pursuing advanced education

• Strain an already fragile nursing pipeline

This proposal effectively devalues a profession that is widely regarded as the most trusted workforce in healthcare. As school nurses, many of us pursue advanced certification and graduate coursework to better support our students. Making advanced education financially burdensome harms recruitment, retention, and ultimately the quality of care students receive.

2. Potential Threats to IDEA and Section 504 Protections

NASN recently shared concerns about federal actions affecting the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS). These actions may weaken oversight of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.

For school nurses, this is especially alarming.

We are central to the implementation of health-related supports within IEPs and 504 plans. Weakening federal oversight could result in:

• Inconsistent enforcement

• Reduced accountability

• Fewer protections for medically fragile and chronically ill students

• Increased strain on school health services

Students with diabetes, seizure disorders, asthma, mental-health needs, and other chronic conditions rely on strong IDEA/504 protections to safely access their education. Weakening these protections puts them—and us—in a precarious position.

Why Mississippi Nurses Must Speak Up

These national shifts could deeply affect school nursing in Mississippi. We already face challenges with staffing shortages, high caseloads, rural accessibility, and limited funding.
If nursing degrees lose their professional status and IDEA/504 oversight weakens, the consequences will be felt immediately in our schools.

We cannot afford to be silent.

A Thanksgiving Call to Action: Contact Your Legislators

During the break, I urge you to take a few minutes to call or email your federal legislators. Your perspective as a school nurse is powerful, and policymakers need to hear how these changes will affect real students in real Mississippi classrooms.

Consider sharing messages such as:

• “I am a school nurse in Mississippi, and I strongly oppose any federal change that removes nursing from the definition of ‘professional degree.’ This harms the nursing workforce and jeopardizes school health services.”

• “I am deeply concerned about actions that threaten oversight of IDEA and Section 504. These protections are essential for students with chronic and complex health needs.”

• “Please protect nursing education pathways and safeguard the rights of students with disabilities.”

You can also visit NASN’s Advocacy Action Center for tools to contact your representatives quickly and easily.

In Closing

As we step into this Thanksgiving break, please know how grateful I am for the work you do and the heart you bring to it. Our students depend on school nurses now more than ever. Standing together, informed and united, we can help protect our profession and the children we serve.

Wishing you a peaceful, restorative, and much-deserved Thanksgiving holiday.

Warm regards,
Stephanie Coker, BSN, RN, NCSN
Mississippi School Nurse

Please, see link below.

Posted: May 15, 2025

On June 13, 2024, school nurses and supporters from across Mississippi gathered at the Mississippi Center for Nursing in Madison to revise the Mississippi School Nurse Procedures and Standards of Care manual.

As each chapter was thoughtfully reviewed and updated, one theme remained constant: a shared passion for student well-being and a commitment to equipping school nurses with the tools they need to succeed.

Acknowledgments

We extend our heartfelt thanks to the following individuals and the organizations they represent for their time, expertise, and dedication to this important work:

Mississippi Department of Education
Mississippi School Nurse Association

• Stephanie Coker, BSN, RN, NCSN

• Sharon Caldwell, RN

• Jamie Ely, RN

• Donnis Harris, MSN, RN, NCSN

• Colleen Larsen, BSN, RN

• Sonya Leonard, BSN, RN, NCSN

• Karie Lynch, BSN, RN, NCSN

• Amanda Murray, BSN, RN

• Tammie Reeder, BSN, RN, NCSN

• Erin Siskey, BSN, RN, NCSN

• Jill Zatoni, BSN, RN

Mississippi Nurses Foundation

• Amanda Crawford

• Kasey Dorr, M.S.

University of Mississippi Medical Center School of Nursing

• Anne Norwood, Ph.D., FNP-BC

Mississippi College School of Nursing

• Estelle Watts, DNP, RN, NCSN

Community Representatives

• Connie Board, BSN, RN, NCSN-E (Retired)

Access the Manual

The revised manual is now available online. You can find it under the "Resources" tab on the MSNA website or by visiting:
🔗 https://www.mississippischoolnurse.org/resources/spc

It will also be saved in MSNA’s Online Community Library for your convenience.

We hope this updated manual serves as a valuable guide to support all Mississippi school nurses in promoting student health and academic success.

A Tentative Agenda has been added to the Conference website. MSNA Conference Webpage

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