The Mississippi Nurses Association is pushing for two pieces of proposed legislation that would increase incentives for school nurses, which are in short supply, and give the Board of Nursing complete control over nurse practitioners.

Hundreds of nurses gathered this week at the Mississippi Trade Mart in Jackson to meet with legislators and talk about issues facing the profession.

Ricki Garrett, executive director of the Mississippi Nurses Association, says nurses are starting to realize the decisions made at the state Legislature directly impact their practice.

The group is also hoping to restrict people from calling themselves nurses unless they’re licensed to practice.