A former preschool teacher, school nurse and current Pulaski County Special School District parent is stepping into a new role as the district’s coordinator of health services.
Jennifer Lambdin’s path into school health services began with teaching preschool while earning a degree in early childhood education. Her career path shifted in 2003 when her son was born prematurely and spent a month in the neonatal intensive care unit. The experience inspired her to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, graduating in 2008.
As part of a young military family, she served in multiple states before returning to Arkansas in 2014 as a certified school nurse with PCSSD at Oakbrooke Elementary.
Her career has included work in neonatal intensive care at Arkansas Children’s Hospital, hospice care with Arkansas Hospice, psychiatric nursing and, during the COVID-19 pandemic, serving as the district’s COVID nurse. She also works as a clinical instructor in pediatrics at Baptist Health College Little Rock and most recently served as wellness nurse manager at Summit Chenal Valley Assisted Living and Memory Care.
“As a single mother of three children, two with special needs, I understand firsthand the critical importance of having knowledgeable, compassionate health support in schools,” Lambdin said. “My youngest son is 14 and in ninth grade at Sylvan Hills Junior High, so I’m not only professionally invested in PCSSD’s health services but personally invested as a current district parent in our Sherwood community.”
Lambdin is a registered nurse and a nationally certified school nurse. She holds a Master of Science in Nursing with a 4.0 GPA. She has held leadership roles in the Arkansas School Nurse Association for nearly a decade, including serving as the ASNA–NBCSN liaison and earning the NBCSN Liaison of the Year award in 2018.
“In this new role, I’m excited about leading and supporting the exceptional nursing team within PCSSD, developing health protocols and continuing the professional development initiatives I’m passionate about,” Lambdin said. “Having already served the district in various capacities, I look forward to contributing to PCSSD’s continued growth and excellence in health services from this new leadership perspective.”