Health services duo to retire, reflects on 23 years working together

SIKESTON — Longtime Sikeston R-6 health services employees Nikki Vaught and Jessie Robinson will end their tenure as Sikeston High School’s nursing duo next month after working together for 23 years.

Robinson has worked at the senior high as the nurse assistant for her entire 23 years in our district.

Vaught began working at Sikeston R-6 in 1990 while substituting for the school nurse at the Kindergarten Center. She was later hired in 1991 as a full-time nurse. She has worked at Southeast, Matthews and Lee Hunter elementary buildings and Senior High during her time in the district.

From 2001 to 2003 Vaught also taught health occupations courses in the district. She then accepted the lead nurse coordinator position which she currently holds.

“I have loved my job so much,” said Vaught, who also graduated from Sikeston’s LPN School in 1979. “I will miss the staff and kids. I have always told people to find a job you love and you will never hate going to work. That was SPS for me.”

Robinson agreed.

“I’ve have enjoyed my years here as a SHS Bulldog. This has been my second family. I will miss all my co-workers and all (my) students. Time has come for me to slow down and enjoy life. I will truly miss this job. I pray and wish SHS the best,” Robinson said.

While there are so many moments, experiences and people they’ve encountered over the years, Vaught and Robinson recalled a couple memories as they reflected on their time working together.

One year there was a senior who had cancer and one of her goals in life was to graduate high school, Vaught said.

“She wanted to come to graduation, but she was at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital,” Vaught said. “St. Jude’s paid for a private plane and they flew her to the airport, and I had to pick her up there. Then I pushed her across the stage because she couldn’t walk and was in a wheelchair.”

It was an emotional night, Vaught recalled.

“Jessie and I took her for ice cream afterwards to celebrate and then we took her back to the plane, which was so hard,” Vaught recalled, adding the young woman died weeks later.

Vaught said she loved teaching the health occupations courses. She even had her daughter in class with her at times which, she said, was challenging and a true experience.

“I can say most of my students went on to be doctors, nurse anesthetists, chiropractors, nurses and physical therapists. This makes me proud,” Vaught said.

Vaught also recalled a former health occupations student who was always in trouble at school.

“I would tell her don’t give up. Then she tried to get into LPN school and didn’t get in because she had lowest test score. She finally got accepted, but still was the lowest test score,” Vaught said. “She ended up being the valedictorian of her class and never missed a single day. Now she’s a nurse anesthetist, so that makes me proud.”

Each day as a school nurse varies, but on most days Vaught and Robinson tend to students who have headaches and stomaches; distribute prescription medicines to students who require them; and monitor glucose levels of students who have diabetes.

“We have worked so good together. It’s been a true team,” Vaught said.

Vaught and Robinson were also there to assist during any emergency health situations of both students and staff members.

And they’ve been there to lend support to students in need.

“Our hearts go out to these kids who don’t have parents, and we take it upon our selves to do as much as we can to help them get what they need,” Robinson said. “Our heart is on these kids that don’t have parents or are living with their grandparents and doing without and the kids we see daily who have troubles.”

Their biggest challenge over the years has been helping students and staff with mental health issues, they said.

“We’re trying to get rid of the stigma of mental health,” Vaught said.

When the medical clinics opened on the high school and alternative school campuses a couple years ago, Vaught said she was elated.

“That was my goal — to start a physical health clinic. Now that we have our clinic; it’s been so awesome,” she said. “It’s been a godsend for sure.”

Robinson added students don’t have to miss school; they can go to an appointment on campus and go back to class when it’s over.

Both Vaught and Robinson said the biggest struggle this school year during the pandemic was making students wear face masks, but overall, the students did very well.

“The teachers did well, too,” Vaught said. “Students were very stressed in keeping up with virtual or in-school learning,”

The duo said they often get recognized by current and former students when out and about around town.

“No matter where we are out in the public, they remember us,” Robinson said.

And they’re also starting to see student-patients who are children of the students they saw when they began working for the district, they said. It’s several generations, Robinson said.

“It is extremely hard to put into words how much Nikki and Jessie have done for the high school and our school district,” said Carrie Corso, special education teacher at Sikeston High School. “They will be truly missed.”

Corso has shared a hallway with Vaught and Robinson for the past seven years, and she said they have become a part of her family, and most importantly, family to her students and to the many students who come through school doors each day.

“They are not just not nurses,” Corso said. “They are mothers to the many kids that struggle with mental health issues, family issues, abuse, etc.”

Over the years, Corso said she has seen Vaught and Robinson foster students with the district, help students with homework, assist families with clothing, food, medical attention and items such as eyeglasses.

“That list could go on, and they have always done those things because they truly love our kids, our school district and being nurses,” Corso said.

She shared a quote by Anthony Douglas Williams: “It is our duty to love the unloved and help the helpless and bring hope to the hopeless.”

“Nikki and Jessie have done just that,” Corso said.

When asked why they’re choosing to retire right now, Robinson said it’s just time.

“I’ve been working two full-time jobs since 1999,” Robinson said. “It’s time to do more family time.”

Vaught agreed.

“My heart will always still be here,” she said.

As retirement inches closer, Vaught said she plans to go camping and kayaking more and spending time with her children and grandchildren.

“I will never forget my time at SPS and will always be a Bulldog,” Vaught said. “Thanks for the memories. I will always treasure them.”

Robinson said she plans to travel with her husband.

“I’ve enjoyed my ride,” Robinson said. “It’s been awesome years and I don’t regret any of it. I’ve learned from experience and some kids have taught us things.”

Vaught and Robinson said they want to still help people after retirement but in a different way. They’d like to help with community service programs and projects

“We’re just switching roles a little bit,” Vaught said.

They also offered some parting advice for their students.

“Always treat everyone like you want to be treated,” Vaught said.

Have some compassion because that’s what it’s all about,” Robinson said.

“You never know when one little word or hug can change someone’s life – forever,” Vaught said.

Vaught shared a quote that was printed on a retirement gift she received this week. It said: “Never underestimate the difference you have made and the lives you have touched. Once a nurse. Always a nurse.”

Tears filled Vaught’s eyes.

“It says exactly what we’ve done,” she said.

What they’ve done to help others over the years, they’ve done from the love in their hearts, Robinson said.

“We did for others,” Robinson said. “Now it’s time for us to do for ourselves.”