Davis honored for work in SCCC practical nursing program

Kim Davis, who teaches practical nursing at Saline County Career Center, received the Outstanding Teacher Award from the Marshall school board.
(Sydney Stonner/Democrat-News)

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She was honored at the school's retirement dinner, and she even received a Missouri State House of Representatives resolution from Joe Aull, D-Marshall.

"It was a big honor," Davis said. "I was very surprised."

She is modest and humble about the award, mentioning several times that "it's not me. It's a reflection of them," her students.

For 19 years, Davis has taught in the practical nursing program at SCCC, where she herself was trained as a nurse. After working some as an LPN, she said the opportunity came along to teach, and she has never looked back.

"I love teaching, and I love nursing," she said.

Currently, Davis teaches anatomy, pharmacology and medical/surgical nursing to LPN students, and she takes her duties as an educator quite seriously.

"I feel like I have a responsibility to the community to train good nurses," she said. Plus, "I can impact health care 23 people at a time."

To each year's class of 20-some students, Davis stresses the importance of working hard, to the best of one's ability.

"In order to be successful, they have to care enough to do their very personal best," she said.

Davis' students seem to be paying attention because recently entire classes have passed their licensing exams on the first try.

"My reward at the end of the year is when my students all pass boards," she said.

She also enjoys seeing her former students working as successful nurses in area hospitals, clinics and nursing homes.

For the future, Davis said she will follow her own advice to her student nurses.

"I just plan to keep doing the best job I possibly can every day," she said.

Contact Sydney Stonner at marshallbusiness@socket.net