MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WGNS) - Dozens of Middle Tennessee school nurses sharpened their clinical skills during a hands-on training day hosted by Middle Tennessee State University's School of Nursing.

The summer event brought nurses from districts across the Midstate to the Cason-Kennedy Nursing Building on campus. Presented in partnership with the Tennessee Department of Education, the School Nurse Skills Day focused on preparing nurses to manage complex medical needs that go far beyond standard first aid and routine medication. Many students in local schools now rely on tracheostomies, ventilators, feeding tubes, insulin pumps, and continuous glucose monitors.

"I don't think the public realizes how medically fragile some students in our schools are," said Shanna Groom, school nursing coordinator for Rutherford County Schools. "Everyone deserves access to public education, and we're happy to have these students in our schools. We just need to make sure we can care for them safely."

Participants cycled through five interactive skills stations designed to strengthen care for complex conditions:

• Common school injuries such as sprains and breaks

• Catheterization and ostomy care

• Medication administration and asthma response

• Diabetes management

  

• Tube feeding procedures

The sessions gave nurses access to high-fidelity simulation equipment rarely found in primary and secondary school settings. In school buildings, nurses often practice tube feedings using an apple juice bottle with a Mickey button in the lid, or apply tourniquets to pool noodles. At MTSU, nurses worked directly with realistic medical models, including a toddler mannequin that breathes, wheezes, and reacts to emergency asthma treatment like a live patient, as well as a pediatric model used to standardize liquid nutrition delivery.

Tennessee school districts require annual verification of nursing competencies. Having access to realistic simulation labs allows local staff to practice critical procedures in a safe environment rather than learning at a student's bedside.

"MTSU's central location, along with our faculty expertise, lab space and equipment, made hosting this School Nurse Skills Day training a natural fit," said TaRessa Poole, clinical assistant professor of nursing and one of the organizers. "Saying yes was really a no-brainer because it allowed us to serve the community while providing valuable education and gave us a great opportunity to work with our clinical partners."

Amanda Johnson, school nurse consultant for the Tennessee Department of Education, highlighted the importance of state and higher education partnerships in meeting student health needs. Organizers kept the initial workshop small, but fast registration and a waiting list have already prompted plans to expand the program, add stations, and pursue grant funding for future sessions. Participants also earned half a credit toward continuing education requirements at no cost.