Bill Text: MS HC63 | 2015 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Nurse Donnis Harris; commend on being named the 2014 Nationally Certified School Nurse of the Year.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 3)
Status: (Passed) 2015-03-05 - Enrolled Bill Signed [HC63 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2015-HC63-Enrolled.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2015 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Representatives Shirley, Snowden
House Concurrent Resolution 63
(As Adopted by House and Senate)
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING NURSE DONNIS HARRIS ON BEING NAMED THE 2014 NATIONALLY CERTIFIED SCHOOL NURSE OF THE YEAR.
WHEREAS, on June 27, 2014, Nurse Donnis Harris, who has been a National Board Certified School Nurse since 2004, was deservedly presented with the esteemed and coveted Nationally Certified School Nurse of the Year Award for her outstanding leadership as a Nationally Certified School Nurse in school nurse practice; and
WHEREAS, Nationally Certified School Nurses who have promoted certification and professional school nursing as well as enhanced competency in school nursing can be nominated for the Nationally Certified School Nurse Recognition Award; and
WHEREAS, on top of her revered Nationally Certified School Nurse of the Year Award, Nurse Harris was also appropriately elected as the President-Elect of the Mississippi School Nurse Association because she exemplifies to her peers and colleagues all of the ideally necessary characteristics that a school nurse leader should possess; and
WHEREAS, since 2000, Nurse Harris has diligently served 1,500 pre-K through 8th grade students as the school nurse for Quitman School District, and the Health and Safety Chairman for Excel by 5, a community organization focusing on early childhood education, is also exponentially benefitted by Nurse Harris's dutiful service; and
WHEREAS, in 2011, Nurse Harris became the Mississippi National Board Certified School Nurse Liaison, and since that time, she has been a very supportive advocate for certification, and as a result of her advocacy, numerous school nurses have received support, mentoring and encouragement from Nurse Harris as they persevered through the board certification process; and
WHEREAS, Nurse Harris has assembled and manned the Nationally Certified School Nurse vendor booth at all of the Nationally Certified School Nurse conferences, and she has ordered the Nationally Certified School Nurse ribbons for the convention name tags to increase awareness and to recognize the honor that is associated with certification; and
WHEREAS, to truly promote certification, Nurse Harris makes frequent announcements on the Mississippi School Nurse Association list serve, reminding nurses of application deadlines and other announcements regarding certification, and in April 2013, she organized a pre-conference panel discussion on certification, which was well attended by nurses who had questions about certification; and
WHEREAS, Mississippi nurses receive a $6,000.00 supplement to their salary for certification; moreover, Nurse Harris has labored tirelessly to encourage Mississippi legislators to remove the cap that restricts the supplement to only 35 nurses; and
WHEREAS, receiving her bachelor of science in nursing at Mississippi College in 1981 and her master's of science in nursing from William Carey University in 2012, Nurse Harris has always been driven by an unquenchable thirst for knowledge, as evidenced by her National Association of School Nurses selection for "Managing Asthma Triggers" Training in 2006, "Epinephrine Resource School Nurse" Training in 2013 and her assistance on the revision committee for the master of science in Nurse Anesthesia Policy and Procedure Manual in 2013; and
WHEREAS, her fellow executive committee members consider serving with Nurse Harris for the past two years on the Mississippi School Nurse Association Executive Committee to be a true privilege, as she constantly provided a wealth of information to both the committee and the membership on certification; and
WHEREAS, relentlessly unselfish with her time while supporting her colleagues going through the grueling certification process, wearing both the cheerleader and the teacher uniforms, Nurse Harris has an unwavering exhibition of professionalism, extensive knowledge, and sincere commitment to school nursing that is displayed throughout her gallant efforts, which is an endless inspiration to the membership; and
WHEREAS, not only is Nurse Harris a very strong advocate for children and the school nurses she represents, she is also a wonderful role model for all that have the opportunity to know and work with her; and
WHEREAS, from Nurse Harris's point of view, school nurses are the skilled health care professionals in the educational setting and, as such, should strive to provide best practice care to all students and staff, and through advocacy, collaboration, and knowledge, positively impact the health and education of Mississippi students; and
WHEREAS, throughout all of her service to her fellow nurses, she has met wonderful people that truly value her friendship, but even more, Nurse Harris is first and foremost a nurse that her colleagues, patients and students truly admire; and
WHEREAS, it is the policy of this Legislature to pay special recognition to such an outstanding Mississippian as Nurse Donnis Harris, whose outstanding leadership as a Nationally Certified School Nurse in school nurse practice has bettered the lives of the citizens of our great Magnolia State, and she is the true epitome of selfless service to her fellow nurses and colleagues, which all may look to for inspiration:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend and congratulate Nurse Donnis Harris on being named the 2014 Nationally Certified School Nurse of the Year, and further, express best wishes for continued success in all of her future professional and personal endeavors.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Nurse Donnis Harris and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.
