LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Nancy Lacasse was nominated by her colleague, Julie Bocock.

"I am new to my role here in the district as the Coordinator of Medical and Health Services," explains Bocock.  "I came from Minnesota, where I had a similar role in a large school district.  When I started, as anyone starts in a new job, you find the one person that has a full knowledge of the district and the role you are supervising.  Nancy was that person for me." 

Ms. Lacasse has been in nursing for 42 years and continues to love nursing. She moved to Florida from Massachusetts. Ms. Lacasse has had an extensive nursing career, from hospital nursing to various other areas of nursing. She ended up in school nursing and has spent the past 25 years with Seminole County Public Schools.

School nursing is very unique and demands not only autonomy, but collaboration with many departments within a school setting. Ms. Lacasse's years of hospital nursing meant she had a wealth of information to bring with her to help her school, staff, students, and parents. When asked why she works as a school nurse, Ms. Lacasse said, "School nursing is the best.  You get to work with great people; staff, parents, and the students. You feel like you make a difference. It takes a whole village to raise a child".  

Students come from all walks of life.  In school nursing, you have to have a broad knowledge, not just in nursing, but in mental health and public health. You not only work with the students at school, but you also work with families.  These families come from all different backgrounds. There are often students who have high medical, social, and economic needs.  It can be a very rewarding role, but seeing what some families and students deal with on a daily basis can be overwhelming at times. Some parents are homeless, while others have limited income and struggle to find the money to meet the daily needs of their child. This is where the school nurse can be an asset. They all have the public health experience and training, and they can utilize their knowledge and skills to help these families in need.  

Also, COVID has hit this country hard, and many families have experienced a loss of employment as a result. This has only increased the demands on families, whether they're rich or poor. Their children come to school with increased needs in all areas, such as hunger, mental health, and physical health, since many have lost health insurance.  COVID has been a huge concern in a school setting, and the school board nurses are often the first line to deal with these students, not only by isolating and quarantining them, but by conducting contact tracing. 

Ms. Lacasse works closely with the County Health Department. She has been one of the "COVID Nurses" providing immunizations and testing of students, staff, and even community members.  She is the first to volunteer to work shifts. Ms. Lacasse is the "first" in all areas of school nursing, and her schools are very fortunate to have such an exemplary school nurse.  The schools often look to her to problem solve many issues and situations. 

"She has been an asset to myself as I learn this role.  She is the first one I call to ask: 'Nancy, what about this?'  I am not the only one who turns to her.  She has been a mentor to all the new School Board Nurses in our district.  She has volunteered to work summer programs and is 'always on call' when I call her. Nancy is the what school nursing is all about," said Bocock.