When you walk into Ciearra McAllister's office at Cairo Elementary, you're likely to find it bustling with activity—especially on Monday mornings. As the district's school nurse for the past year and a half, McAllister has created more than just a medical office; she's established a safe haven where students and staff alike can find comfort, care, and a listening ear.

"I love everything about nursing. I love taking care of people. That's just how I've always been," says McAllister, a registered nurse who joined the Cairo School District after working in long-term care, home health, and psychiatric settings.

A Cairo native with two sons in high school, McAllister brings a unique connection to her role. "Everybody knows me, and everybody knows that I'm a registered nurse," she explains. When the position opened, board members and her own children encouraged her to apply. "You'll get to spend more time with us," her kids told her. "The pros outweighed the cons. So I thought, I'll give it a shot. And then I just fell in love with it."

McAllister's nursing journey began in 2010 when she earned her CNA certification through a Shawnee Community College program in Cairo. She worked as a CNA for about eight years before obtaining her LPN in 2018 from the Career Technology Center in Cape Girardeau. In 2022, she completed her RN from Southeast College of Nursing, also in Cape Girardeau.

A typical day for McAllister starts at Cairo Elementary around 8:00 a.m., where she remains until noon before heading to the high school. The elementary school keeps her particularly busy "just because the kids are smaller and the demand is bigger," she notes. "High school kids, they'll fall and say, 'I'm okay' and go on about their day, but sometimes it's the end of the world if a kid falls down here."

Throughout her day, McAllister administers medications, treats injuries, and, perhaps most importantly, provides emotional support. "I let kids come in, and staff too. They'll come and just unwind in my office, and by the time they leave, they're better for the day," she says. "I'm easy to talk to. It's kind of like a comfort zone within the school, somewhere they know they can have just a little bit of privacy."

This approach to school nursing goes beyond traditional expectations. McAllister sees herself as "a nurse/counselor" who "covers it all." Her philosophy of care extends to keeping parents fully informed—she calls parents for every student visit to her office, even for minor issues like a bandage.

"It's not a requirement if it's not that serious," she explains, "but as a parent, I would want to know if my student was in the nurse's office. It might have been something small at first, but later on that day, it might be something big."

The mental challenges of the job can be significant. "Sometimes you see things that aren't ideal," McAllister acknowledges. "I take it home with me. I'm human. I'm a mother. Sometimes it twists at my heartstrings, but I do everything I can within my limitations to make sure we all come together for resolutions."

That collaborative spirit is something McAllister particularly values about working in the Cairo School District. "We all come together to find a solution. It's never an 'I against you' thing. We're always a team with our solutions, and I love that."

Even outside of school hours, McAllister embraces her role. "One thing that people wouldn't expect is that it's a 24-hour job," she says. "If I go to a basketball game, I'm expected to be the nurse. If any little thing happens, everybody's like, 'Ciearra!'"

But she wouldn't have it any other way. "It feels nice to be needed or wanted and to know that people trust me to take care of them," McAllister says.

For Cairo students and staff, that trust is well-placed in the hands of a nurse who brings not just medical expertise, but genuine compassion to her community every day.