MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WGNS) - Dr. Shanna Groom, School Nursing coordinator for Rutherford County Schools, has been elected as Tennessee’s director to the National Association of School Nurses, marking the first time a representative from RCS has served in this role.

NASN is a nonprofit organization exclusively representing school nurses. Founded in 1977, NASN’s mission is to optimize student health and learning by promoting and nourishing the practice of school nursing. NASN’s position is it’s essential for professional registered school nurses be present in every school all day, every day to address the comprehensive health needs of students.

Groom was elected as the state’s director at the Tennessee Association of School Nurses conference in November 2025. She was nominated based on her outstanding leadership and service on the executive board for TASN, as well as her experience advocating for funding from state legislation.

Each year NASN holds a national board meeting in Washington D.C. where elected directors, one from each state, meet with their state legislators to finalize budgets, national policies, and create and approve NASN position statements. This year’s conference will be held in the spring.

As a NASN director, Groom will advocate for school nurses on a state and national level by promoting health equity, ensuring resources are available to nurses, and providing leadership and consultation on school health issues to state legislators, board members and various stakeholders. Groom has worked for RCS since 2012, currently serving as the School Nursing coordinator, a role she has held since 2023. Her four-year term as director for NASN began in Jan. 2026.