Biography
Dr. Cassidie Thomas brings over a decade of clinical and leadership expertise across diverse practice settings, including school health, reproductive endocrinology and infertility, labor and delivery, and pediatric intensive care. Her work in school health encompasses initiatives in policy development, health education, research, and quality improvement, contributing to meaningful advancements in school communities. Dr. Thomas serves as a leader in the Private, Independent, and Parochial School branch of the National Association of School Nurses, where she is committed to fostering mentorship and collaboration among school nursing professionals. Her scholarship focuses on empowering school nurses through evidence-based practices and advancing school nursing to support the long-term emotional and physical well-being of students. She earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree with a Family Nurse Practitioner focus from the UC Irvine Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing. A passionate educator, Dr. Thomas is dedicated to inspiring and mentoring the next generation of nurses. In 2024, she joined the faculty of the UC Irvine Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing, where she currently teaches in the Prelicensure Program.
Research Interests
School health, school nursing, professional development, pediatrics, women’s health, child and adolescent mental health.
Education
DNP, UC Irvine Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing, 2024
BSN, UC Irvine Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing, 2013
Publications
- Best, N. C., & Thomas, C. (2024). SDoH and School Nurse-Led Interventions: Improving Health and Education Outcomes Among School Aged Children and Adolescents. In J. B. Hamilton & C. Moore (eds.), Transforming Social Determinants to Promote Global Health. Springer Nature. http://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-61160-5_28
- Thomas, C.S., Nielsen, T.K., Best, N.C. (2024). A Rapid Review of Mental Health Training Programs for School Nurses. The Journal of School Nursing. doi: 10.1177/10598405241277798.
- Best, N. C., Thomas, C., Mosely-Williams, F., Chang, A., & Nielsen, T. (2024). Back to school: Updates on routine vaccines for children and adolescents. The Nurse Practitioner Journal, 49 (9), 29-35. doi: 10.1097/01.NPR.0000000000000224
