Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon has appointed Rhonda Shimmens, a registered nurse at St. Mary’s Health Center, to the Missouri State Board of Nursing.

The state board of nursing regulates the quality of nursing education, determines the scope of practice for licensed individuals, and deals with licenses, including examination, renewal or discipline.

Shimmens serves as manager for ambulatory surgery/pre-admission testing at St. Mary's. She is board-certified in medical-surgical nursing and ambulatory care nursing. She has been with St. Mary’s for more than 30 years.

Shimmens was sworn in during a ceremony at the Capitol on April 22. Her term on the board ends June 1, 2012.