In this powerful episode of the School Nurse Huddle, host Lisell Zuñiga sits down with the inspiring Gloria E. Barrera, a school nurse leader and policy advocate, to dive into the groundbreaking work behind the Illinois School Nurse Capacity Study.
Gloria shares her personal nursing journey—from her early calling to her influential role as the Illinois Association of School Nurses (IASN) President—and the pivotal moments that led to launching a statewide initiative to address school nurse staffing disparities.
💡 In this episode, you’ll discover:
✅ The story behind the Illinois School Nurse Capacity Study and why it matters
✅ The challenges and victories of getting HB5601 off the ground
✅ How grassroots advocacy and strategic partnerships helped drive momentum
✅ Gloria’s vision for school nursing at the national level as she runs for NASN President-Elect
🎯 Don't miss this behind-the-scenes look at the future of school nursing and the impact of policy-driven change.
👉 Follow and share with fellow school nurses and advocates!
📲 Stay connected: @SchoolNurseAdmin on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. Connect with Gloria at GloriaBarrera.rn@gmail.com
🔊 Next episode: Dr. Eileen Moss joins us to explore the ongoing impact of the School Nurse Capacity Study and what’s next at NASN 2025!🎧 Tune in now and keep advocating, keep leading, and take care!
