The Road to 50 Years
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COLLEGE OF NURSING ADMINISTRATION
Tami Wyatt
Nan Gaylord
Shelia Swift
Professor
through nurse-led care by integrating
education, practice, research, and
and impact it by addressing policy and
social issues through advocacy and
leadership. Fueled by our commitment
to communities, families, and individuals,
we seek partnerships to create innovative
solutions that improve health for all.
OUR VISION Leading Care. Creating Partnerships.
Improving Health.
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its education and employment programs and services.
All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration
for employment without regard to race, color, national
origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual
orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental
disability, or covered veteran status. The university
name and its indicia within are trademarks of the
University of Tennessee. A project of the College of
Nursing. PAN E01-3010-054-001-21.
CONTACT US
The Volunteer Nurse is published by the UT College of Nursing.
Comments and letters can be sent to the editor at
UT College of Nursing, Communications, 1200 Volunteer Blvd.,
Knoxville, TN 37996, volnurse@tennessee.edu.
Dean’s Circle ........................................................................................................................... 2
College & Faculty News
College of Nursing and Haslam College of Business Collaborate on Philanthropy ...... 3
In Memoriam: Mary Gunther ............................................................................................ 3
Kiernan Receives Daisy Award ......................................................................................... 4
Graduates Surpass National and State Averages for NCLEX........................................... 4
Beebe Appointed Chair of Institutional Review Board................................................... 4
Brown Selected Inaugural Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion ................................ 5
TRIP Expands to Include Pandemic Roles ....................................................................... 5
UT Nursing Welcomes ...................................................................................................... 6
Accolades............................................................................................................................ 8
Vine School Health Clinic: Celebrating 25 Years of Impact ................................................16
Fighting Nurse Fatigue .........................................................................................................18
Thirteenth Annual NightinGala ...........................................................................................20
Volunteer Nursing Champion Award ..............................................................................21
Nursing Students Step Up to Provide COVID Vaccinations ............................................... 24
A Baby Story ......................................................................................................................... 26
Notes of Gratitude ................................................................................................................ 31
2021 ADVISORY BOARD
Jeannie Dulaney, Chair
Dean’s Message
As vaccinations took effect and COVID-19 rates dropped early in the summer, many of us buckled our seat belts and hit the road or boarded airplanes to fly to our favorite vacation destinations. Thinking about air travel, I am reminded of the flight attendants’ instructions over the loudspeaker: “Be sure to put on your oxygen mask before assisting others.” This has certainly been a time when the resilience of the nursing workforce has been tried and tested. In fact, even before this time, the prevalence of depression, burnout, compassion fatigue, and secondary traumatic stress among health care professionals was at an all-time high. As the flight attendants advise, nurses need to remember to take care of their own needs in order to effectively care for their patients and families. This consideration is even more critical during a pandemic in which nurses continue to be on the front lines, on the front lines battling this devastating virus. As you peruse the pages of this issue of The Volunteer Nurse, you will see a College of Nursing that has not only survived a pandemic but has become stronger, more resilient, and even more dedicated to educating the next generation of nurses, advanced practice nurses, and nurse scholars. Additionally, our commitment to improving care through outreach to the community, scientific inquiry,
Dear colleagues, alumni, and friends,
and advocacy has never been greater. Over the past year our faculty and students have provided more than 26,000 COVID-19 vaccines in the community. When classes and clinical rotations were disrupted, we far exceeded the state and national licensing exam averages with a 98.5 percent first-time NCLEX pass rate. The $2.9 million in extramural research funding awarded in FY21 is supporting cutting-edge research, and our graduate program was ranked 38th among public universities by U.S. News & World Report. So how have we fostered resilience and thrived during times of crisis? I attribute it to many factors. First, we have built a strong team of faculty and staff who model resilience and professionalism every day. Second, we have kept our eye on our vision and mission— serving others, promoting health, and living the Volunteer Creed, “One that beareth a torch shadoweth oneself to give light to others.” And finally, we have approached the disruptions posed by the pandemic with innovation, caring, and compassion. We are moving into a year of excitement as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the college’s founding and begin to design a $60 million building renovation and addition. This new space will support innovative and active student learning, foster advancements in nursing and health research, and provide much-needed student work spaces. Thank you for your continued support of the College of Nursing! I encourage you to stay connected by following @utknursing on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. We enjoy highlighting the Vol nurse family and invite you to interact with us on all of our accounts.
In the Volunteer spirit,
DEAN AND PROFESSOR | TWITTER: @VOLNURSINGDEAN
SARA ROSENBALM CROLEY ENDOWED DEAN’S CHAIR
University of Tennessee College of Nursing utknursing @utknursing
“One that beareth a torch
shadoweth oneself to give light
to others.”
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3
College of Nursing and Haslam College of Business Collaborate on Philanthropy UT’s Haslam College of Business partnered with the College of Nursing’s Precious Prints Project to launch a new business course: a service–learning seminar focused on philanthropy. Nursing student leaders are collaborating with students in the course to benefit the project, which presents families who have lost a child with a charm made from their child’s fingerprint. Riley Willingham, a sophomore in supply chain management from Maryville, Tennessee, chose to take the course because of its potential to help people and for a more personal reason: his mother’s struggles with pregnancies. “Precious Prints Project gives me the greatest opportunity to make an impact on others,” Willingham said. “In addition to the impact I hope to have, I know this process was difficult for my mom, so I can begin to understand the effect losing a child can have on a mother and a family. I cherish the opportunity to help others with their grief.”
According to the instructor, academic advisor Marg Basehart, the course provides a framework for participation in service to the community to increase the connection between campus and the local community, to educate students for citizenship and public service, and to highlight the positive role that business leaders play in the community. “By collaborating with the College of Nursing Precious Prints Project, we hope our students will learn the complexities of a nonprofit organization and see the immense value this organization provides to the Knoxville community and beyond,” Basehart said. “This course has a compelling purpose: to enhance and enrich student learning by intertwining academic
material with relevant and important community service. I have no doubt this collaboration will do just that and be a meaningful experience for everyone involved.” Eva Huff, a senior nursing student serving as philanthropy chair for Precious Prints, hopes the class demonstrates to students how a community mindset can enhance their careers. “As a nursing student, this project taught me that I can play a part in impacting others rather than just pursuing my own career aspirations,” Huff said. “I hope that we can inspire business students to use their unique gifts to impact our community as well.” The Precious Prints Project originated after a nurse witnessed a young mother leaving the hospital alone after the death of her child, without anything tangible to validate her experience. The College of Nursing Student Nurses Association formed a partnership with a Knoxville vendor, Precious Metal Prints, to create a bereavement program for families experiencing loss. Through the creation of a tangible keepsake provided at no cost to the family, the life of a child is remembered and honored. The project was launched in 2012 at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital and has since expanded to nine hospitals and two additional university nursing programs. To date, more than 1,200 personalized charms have been provided free of charge to families experiencing the loss of a child. “The College of Nursing’s mission statement is ‘Leading care. Creating partnerships. Improving health.’ This collaboration with the Haslam College of Business provides all three,” said Lynne Miller, director of the Precious Prints Project. Nursing students involved with Precious Prints will teach two classes, develop and lead two community events related to the project in collaboration with students in the course, and represent the College of Nursing and the profession. “Service–learning is not exclusive to one discipline. By sharing ideas through the lens of two separate disciplines, there can be benefits for both. Collaboration is a strong component of any profession, and by working together students will learn to provide outcomes that will directly impact the success of the project,” said Miller.
Lauren Akins and Thomas Rhett
Laura Barnes
Cameron and Susan Duff
Sandra Gossler
Devin Hammonds
Robin Harris
Robert and Carney Ivy
Diane Lee-Smith
Dean and Ann Skadberg
Scott and Robin Smith
David and Lisa Stridde
Robert and Stella Sudderth
Richard and Irene Townsend
Linda Vaughn
Martha Weeks
Dean’s Circle Membership in the 2020–21 Dean’s Circle recognizes those who have made a
leadership of $1,000 or more to the college between July 1, 2020, and June 30, 2021 (excluding NightinGala sponsorships and purchases).
IN MEMORIAM
Mary Gunther Mary E. Gunther, associate professor of nursing, passed away July 14. A native of Chicago, Gunther received her nursing diploma at St. Mary of Nazareth in 1968. She served as a staff pediatric staff nurse at Cook County Hospital in Chicago, the University of Wisconsin Medical Center in Madison, Wisconsin, and the UT Medical Center. Following her time as a staff nurse and then head nurse at UTMC, Gunther served as the director of pediatrics and the director of nursing resources. She received her BSN in 1991, her MSN in 1993, and her DNP in 2001, all from UT Knoxville. She joined the College of Nursing as a faculty member in 2001. During Gunther’s 20 years with the college, she served in multiple roles including chair of the MSN program, director of graduate studies, and executive associate dean of academic affairs. Gunther was a vital member of the College of Nursing team. She was loved by many members of the UT community, including her students and colleagues. “Dr. Gunther was an extraordinary nurse leader and colleague. She always had a way to make people smile,” said Dean Victoria Niederhauser. “Her legacy lives on through the hundreds of students and faculty members she taught and mentored.” Gunther earned a number of awards and honors throughout her career. She was inducted into Phi Kappa Phi and Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Societies. She was also active for many years in the Society of Rogerian Scholars, the King International Nursing Group, the Southern Nursing Research Society, and the American Nurses Association. Among her honors were the Outstanding Graduate Faculty Award from the College of Nursing and awards from Gamma Chi Chapter, Sigma Theta Tau International, for Outstanding Dissertation and Excellence in Research. Memorial contributions may be made to the UT College of Nursing with “Dr. Mary Gunther Scholarship for PhD Students” in the memo. Contributions can be mailed to UT College of Nursing, Attn: Advancement Office, 1200 Volunteer Boulevard, Knoxville, TN 37996.
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College & Faculty News
excellent educator, and her most recent work on the college’s diversity action plan, provide her with key attributes to be successful in leading our efforts in this important area.” Brown previously served as chair of the college’s undergraduate student affairs committee and as chair-elect of its Diversity Advisory Council. She was recently chosen by the National League for Nursing to participate in its LEAD program, designed for nurses in education and practice who have recently been challenged with rapid transition into leadership positions, those in leadership positions who desire a formal leadership program, and emerging and aspiring leaders. Brown has a BSN from UT Knoxville, an MSN from King University, and a DNP with a specialization in administration from UT Chattanooga.
advance knowledge of new research options and processes that affect our research in the College of Nursing, and I can ensure that the perspective of College of Nursing researchers is considered when changes are made. As chair, I will also have an opportunity to be involved in the accreditation initiative of the Human Research Protections Program,” said Beebe. “Serving on the IRB is intellectually stimulating, and the IRB and HRPP staff and leadership are supportive and collegial. I’m grateful to them for providing mentorship and I am thrilled to be part of their team!”
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Extraordinary Nursing Faculty was
presented to Clinical Instructor
was chosen by the award selection
committee in a blind review process.
Kiernan’s
and patients, that he leads by example
and goes above and beyond to educate
and inspire his students to become
nurse leaders, and that his exemplary
knowledge of up-to-date research and
teaching reminds students why they
chose to be a nurse.
A collaborative program of the
DAISY Foundation and the American
Association of Colleges of Nursing,
the DAISY Faculty Award is a national
recognition program that honors
inspirational influence on future
Jason Kiernan
Kim Brown
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utknursing @utknursing utknursing
Graduates Surpass National and State Averages for NCLEX
Brown Selected Inaugural Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion
UT College of Nursing graduates had one of the highest first-time pass rates on the 2020 National Council Licensure Exam (NCLEX-RN)—98.5 percent, surpassing the national average of 86.6 percent and the Tennessee average of 91.6 percent. The test, administered by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, is used to determine which candidates are adequately prepared to enter real-life practice and work as registered nurses. “Our dedicated undergraduate faculty and staff work diligently in the classroom, simulation, and
clinical environments to ensure our
nursing students are prepared to
successfully pass the
NCLEX,” said
Shelia Swift,
Clinical Assistant Professor Kim Brown was named the College of Nursing’s inaugural director of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the spring and began serving in the new role May 15. Brown is a first-generation African American college graduate from a rural community in East Tennessee. She is a leader in the college and has demonstrated success in implementing initiatives focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion in the undergraduate nursing program. “I am excited to work with our faculty, students, and staff to provide support, direction, and guidance to achieve the DEI goals of the college,” she said. Brown views the director role as an opportunity for focused intentional work aimed at increasing access and flexibility related to opportunities to participate in the College of Nursing’s vision and mission of leading care, creating partnerships, and improving health. “Working towards improved diversity, equity, and inclusion are critical areas for the College of Nursing,” said Dean Victoria Niederhauser. “Brown’s experience as a nurse leader and an
she can to help us achieve success,” said Beebe. As chair, Beebe will be responsible for proposal reviews, conducting IRB meetings, assigning research proposals to reviewers based on reviewer expertise, collaborating with the university’s Human Research Protection Program, and maintaining initial and ongoing training on ethics and other IRB-related topics “I think it is wonderful for the College of Nursing to be represented in this important and visible group. Having a leadership role on the IRB brings me to the table to give input into decisions that affect research across campus—I will have
assistant dean of undergraduate programs. “We are committed to training our students to be exceptional professional nurses, and we appreciate all our clinical partnerships—those in primary care, acute care, and academic service–learning settings—for all you do to assist us in training our nursing students to lead care, create partnerships, and improve health.” A total of 131 UT Knoxville nursing graduates from the traditional and accelerated BSN programs took the test for the first time in 2020. “We are incredibly proud of our nursing students who have been dedicated to their studies and achieved an outstanding first-time pass rate on the NCLEX exam, despite overcoming many challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Sadie Hutson, executive associate dean of academic affairs. “Our faculty have been passionate in preparing a robust nursing workforce to meet the needs of the state of Tennessee and the country. Our nursing graduates consistently demonstrate a high level of competence and positively impact the health of the communities in which they work and live.”
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Beebe Appointed Chair of Institutional Review Board
Professor of Nursing Lora Beebe was selected to serve as chair of UT Knoxville’s Institutional Review Board. The IRB regulates all campus research activities involving human subjects. Its appointed members work to ensure the rights, safety, and welfare of human research subjects; ensure compliance with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations; and conduct ethical reviews of human research activities. “As a researcher working with community- dwelling persons with schizophrenia for 25 years, I have long been attuned to the ethical issues surrounding consent and respect for persons,” said Beebe. “Over my past three years of IRB membership, I learned a great deal about the policies and processes surrounding human subject protections and research requirements.”
Beebe has a BSN from Marshall University and an MS and PhD from the University of Kentucky. Through her research, she has masterfully shepherded scholarly practice to transform psychiatric nursing practice and nursing education nationally and internationally. “I want to express my gratitude for Dean Niederhauser. She has been very supportive of me pursuing the IRB chair position from the beginning. She is a champion of not only nursing but College of Nursing faculty in doing whatever
TRIP Expands to Include Pandemic Roles The $2.6 million, four-year grant Transforming RN Roles in Community- Based Integrated Primary Care through Academic Practice Partnership, or TRIP, received an additional $78,000 in CARES Act funding through the US Health Resources and Services Administration. The funding was used to increase the knowledge base of COVID-19 and telehealth for RNs and staff at Cherokee Health Systems—a nonprofit provider of primary care, behavioral health, and addiction services to more than 70,000 poor and uninsured people in Tennessee—and for participating junior and senior nursing students.
Students screened more than 5,400 people for COVID-19 between August 2020 and April 2021. After completing vaccination training in the spring, 29 students vaccinated more than 2,700 people in East Tennessee, most of them members of underserved rural populations. Students also participated in 190 telehealth visits at Cherokee Health Systems clinics in fall 2020 and spring 2021.
The purpose of the project is to prepare BSN students and RNs to practice at the full scope of their license in community- based integrated primary care settings, caring for rural underserved populations. Now entering its fourth year, TRIP has three graduates working in primary care at Cherokee Health Systems clinics and one undergraduate student working at Cherokee as a nursing assistant.
Lora Beebe
Visit our website nursing.utk.edu
Neal Named Assistant Dean of Graduate Programs Clinical Assistant Professor Allyson Matney Neal has been selected to serve as assistant dean of graduate programs and began working in that role in July. Neal, who joined the College of Nursing in May 2019, served previously as coordinator of the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Program. “I am very excited to serve the College of Nursing in this capacity,” said Neal. “The College of Nursing has a rich history of optimizing health for the communities we serve. This has never been more evident than during the pandemic, when nurses stepped up to become an integral part of the solution. I look forward to being a part of continuing to fulfill our vision of leading care, creating partnerships, and improving health through education, practice, research, and technology.” Neal will serve as the college’s chief officer for graduate program matters, providing leadership to graduate students, faculty, and staff. She will coordinate the graduate admissions process and work to ensure that accreditation standards are met and that policies related to graduate
programs are consistently implemented. “As we continue to grow our graduate programs, the depth and breadth of Dr. Neal’s experiences as an advanced practice nurse, nurse educator, and nurse leader will provide the college with solid leadership to thrive,” said Dean Victoria Niederhauser. “Additionally, Dr. Neal is involved in key national organizations that provide her with firsthand knowledge of cutting-edge trends in advanced nursing education.” Neal’s scholarly activities are in the area of neuroplasticity as it relates to resiliency, with an emphasis on wellness skills taught in unconventional settings. She is an active member of several professional organizations, including the American Psychiatric Nurses Association, Sigma Theta Tau, the American Nurses Association, and the Tennessee Nurses Association, and she holds national appointments in the APRN Licensure, Accreditation, Certification, and Education (LACE) Network and the National Task Force for the Review and Revision of the Criteria for Evaluation of Nurse Practitioner Programs. Neal has a DNP as a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner from the UT Health Science Center, an MSN as a psychiatric nurse practitioner from Emory University, a BSN from UT Chattanooga, and an ADN from East Tennessee State University.
Allyson Matney Neal
UT Nursing Welcomes… Faculty and staff hired since July 2020
FACULTY Amy Alspaugh, Assistant Professor
Melissa Asbury, Clinical Instructor Lecturer
Cristina Barroso, Associate Professor
Christina Brown, Clinical Instructor
April Bryant, Clinical Instructor
Samia Valeria Ozorio Dutra, Clinical Assistant Professor
Cassandra Fishbein, Clinical Assistant Professor
Olivia Freels, Clinical Instructor
Todd Koch, Lecturer
Marian Malone, Lecturer
Myra Pillon, Clinical Instructor
Vivian Rookard, Clinical Instructor
STAFF Darren Gilbert, IT Technologist III
Hailey Hernandez, Undergraduate Clinical Coordinator
Carla Orsburn, Simulation Coordinator
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College & Faculty News
Lisa Merritt received the Association of Faculties of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners Researcher of the Year Award. The award recognizes significant contributions to the knowledge of pediatric nurse practitioners at the regional, national, or international level. She also received the college’s Volunteer Award, which recognizes a nurse educator who has demonstrated excellence in academic teaching, research, or service early in their career.
Karen Messing was accepted into UT Chattanooga’s doctoral program in education with a focus in higher education learning and leadership after completing her MS in educational psychology with a concentration in adult education from UT Knoxville. Messing was also appointed to the board of directors of the Wesley House campus ministry.
Jennifer Shearer Miller was selected for the 2021 National Institute of Drug Abuse Diversity Scholar Network, a competitive, rigorous program aimed at improving the funding success of underrepresented early-stage investigators conducting substance use disorder and addiction research. The yearlong program consists of grant writing development with support from NIDA-funded mentors.
Carole Myers was selected as a member of the UT Institute for Public Service Opioid Panel and was named Outstanding Woman of the Year by Knoxville Area Executive Women. Myers also was appointed a senior research service professor by the George Washington University School of Nursing.
Sangwoo Ahn and Katherine Morgan were accepted into the UT Faculty Research Academy, which empowers diverse tenure-track faculty to advance their scholarly agenda in a collegial environment with supportive guidance.
Joel Anderson received the International Family Nursing Association’s 2021 Innovative Contribution to Family Nursing Award and the college’s Allison and Patrick Harrison Nursing Innovation Award. He was awarded funding from the university’s Office of Research and Engagement Scholarly and Research Incentive Fund and the Expanding Horizons Faculty Development Award.
Carrie Bailey was selected for a seat on the International Association of Forensic Nursing.
The college’s Rock Award went to Carrie Bailey, Sally Helton, Melissa Hessock, Robin Hicks, Melanie Mixon, and Laura Williams. The award recognizes nurse faculty members and teams that have demonstrated an innovative teaching-, research-, or service-oriented method or approach in their academic course or clinical instruction.
Tom Berg received the college’s Volunteer Award, which recognizes a nurse educator who has demonstrated excellence in academic teaching, research, or service early in their career.
Edelyn Bishop completed the post- master’s Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program and passed the ANCC board certification exam for her PMHNP practice licensure.
Sara Borges received the college’s Undergraduate Outstanding Clinical Faculty Award. The award is presented to a faculty member, selected by undergraduate students, who is extremely knowledgeable, provides an optimum clinical learning environment, and demonstrates care and concern for student learning.
Tracy Brewer received the college’s Outstanding DNP Faculty Award, which goes to a faculty member for their commitment and inspirational influence on their nursing students.
Kara Cardwell was promoted to director of communications and external affairs.
Melissa Hessock was honored with the college’s Undergraduate Outstanding Classroom Teaching Award. The award is presented to a faculty member whose knowledge, enthusiasm, and instructional style inspire students and motivate them to learn.
Maria Hurt was one of the 2021 recipients of the university’s Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Narrative Reflection Project award. The new grant program was created to encourage work toward new scholarship in teaching and learning.
Katie Jenkins was promoted to clinical instructor lecturer.
Derrick MacGillivray received the college’s Power T Award. The Power T goes to a staff member who is efficient, productive, positive, responsive, and cheerful and exceeds expectations of job responsibilities.
Accolades
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Allyson Neal was appointed to the American Psychiatry Nurses Association’s Child and Adolescent Steering Committee. The national committee oversees all child and adolescent mental health content for APNA.
Kathy Newnam was inducted into the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.
Victoria Niederhauser was appointed secretary of the Friends of the National Institute of Nursing Research. She also served as a board member for Leadership Knoxville and East Tennessee Children’s Hospital.
Carla Orsburn completed the requirements to become credentialed as a certified healthcare simulation educator (CHSE) by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare. CHSE applicants must have at least two years of experience in health
care simulation in an educational role and demonstrate focused simulation expertise with learners.
Teresa Profant received the college’s Torch Award, which recognizes a faculty or staff member who exhibits a strong character of selflessness, humility, and sacrifice for the greater good and who consistently models the College of Nursing’s core values.
Jada Russell received her PhD in higher education administration. Her research interests include STEM; retention; and first-generation, underrepresented, and first-year students.
Knar Sagherian received an award from Sigma Theta Tau International for her research project Taking a Break: How Rest Breaks Can Reduce Acute Fatigue during the COVID-19
Pandemic. She also received an award from the American Nurses Foundation as co-principal investigator of Sleep and Fatigue during COVID-19 in Health Care Workers 2.
Sandra Thomas received the college’s Outstanding PhD Faculty Award, which goes to a faculty member who is selected for their commitment and inspirational influence on their nursing students.
Laura Williams (Barry) was promoted to clinical instructor.
Tami Wyatt was among the recipients of the university’s Multidisciplinary Research Award. She was also invited to serve on the American Nurses Association Innovation Advisory Board.
College & Faculty News
C O V E R S T O R Y
A LOOK BACK Since the very beginning, there has been a demand for Tennessee nurses, and the College of Nursing has done its best to fulfill that demand. The college opened its doors in 1971 after the state legislature determined a need for a nursing college in East Tennessee. At the time, there was only one public nursing college in all of Tennessee—and it was on the other side of the state. The fledgling college recruited the esteemed Sylvia Hart, associate dean for undergraduate nursing programs at the State University of New York in Buffalo (now the University at Buffalo) to be at the helm. During her 21 years as dean, Hart established a strong foundation for the college, launching its bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD programs. “She was the kind of transformational leader who commanded such respect from faculty that we always willingly followed along during the addition of those new programs,” said Sandra Thomas, who helped create the PhD program and serves as chair. The program, instituted in 1989, aimed to fill the need for nurses and conduct life-changing nursing science research. From its inception, nursing doctoral students crossed disciplinary lines to collaborate with colleagues across campus. Research areas have ranged
This year, the College of Nursing turns 50. It would be nearly impossible to quantify the profound impact it has had on the community, state, and world. And the future is bright for the next half century, with a new building on the horizon opening opportunities to educate more high-caliber nurses and conduct more transformational research.
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The college opened its doors in 1971 after the state legislature
determined a need for a nursing
college in East Tennessee.
Sylvia Hart
from the effects of human touch on preterm infants to the effects of fatigue on cancer patients to helping Iraqi refugees resettle in America. When Joan Creasia became dean in 1995, a shortage of skilled nurses was looming. In response, she obtained additional funding to expand or add several programs, including the Doctor of Nursing Practice and RN to BSN programs. “There was an increased need
for BSN and advanced practice nurses, as patients were in the hospital for shorter periods of time and needed follow-up care after discharge. But home health nurses, nurse practitioners, and primary care nurses were in short supply,” Creasia explained. The college worked hard to grow and add as many nurses to the workforce as it could with the space and faculty it had.
A CURRENT LOOK When Victoria Niederhauser became dean in 2011, she continued Creasia’s efforts to fill the nursing gap by growing student enrollment from 420 undergraduates and 129 graduate students in 2011 to the current level of 760 undergraduates and 183 graduate students. The number of faculty members teaching these students also grew, from 53 in 2011 to 113 today.
RESEARCH IMPACT Niederhauser’s focus on experiential simulation learning, including
the cutting-edge Health Innovation and Technology (HITS) Lab and nursing science research, has enriched the work of the college’s students and faculty. In the HITS lab, educators provide students with real-life learning opportunities while researchers engage in health care innovation to improve the quality of life. “We are providing the workforce for the future, but we are also exploring issues that improve health and health care through
nursing science and discovery,” explained Niederhauser. For example, research into neonates is uncovering how certain exposures in the NICU can lead to hearing loss. Other research is revealing how to delay the onset of dementia and protect the mental health of family caregivers. New research collaborations will investigate the role of the microbiome in the development of neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS,
Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease as well as mental health and the neurodevelopment of children. The college’s administration, faculty, and staff have worked
to create a supportive environment for research and scholarly activity, attracting $2.9 million in extramural funding during fiscal year 2021. The college also now has a record eight faculty members who are American Academy of Nursing fellows— the highest honor in the nursing profession—and seven others with national academy appointments. The DNP program’s U.S. News & World Report ranking among
public institutions has jumped from the 50s to 38th over the past several years.
STUDENT IMPACT The top-caliber faculty means the college is producing top-caliber students. Graduates have a 98.5 percent pass rate on the National Council Licensure Exam, the highest in a decade and far surpassing the state and national average. What’s more, they are highly sought after for nursing jobs, in large part due to the real-world experience they obtain in the program. For example, a curriculum change incorporated an academic service–learning component in which juniors and seniors participate in 30 hours of service–learning each semester with one of more
“We are providing the workforce for
the future, but we are
also exploring issues that
—VICTORIA NIEDERHAUSER
Victoria Niederhauser
Joan Creasia
appointed dean
launches an online
Nursing, Doctor of Nursing
history—$7.5 million—from alumna Sara
Croley and her husband, Ross, with $5.5
million supporting the college’s building
renovation and expansion and $2 million
establishing the Sara Rosenbalm Croley
Endowed Dean’s Chair.
celebrates 25 years of
service to the Knoxville
is included in the
governor’s budget for
FIFTY YEARS WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE'S COLLEGE OF NURSING
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A LOOK FORWARD While the college has had an enormous impact over the past 50 years, its work is limited by the size of its physical space. The current 42,000-square- foot nursing building was adequate in 1971, but with the tremendous growth of faculty, staff, and students it’s now dramatically undersized. “Faculty share office space, students have no place to study or interact, and as the college has grown to fill the nursing gap it has been splintered into other buildings across campus,” said Niederhauser. The state has recognized the need for a larger facility for the college since the 1990s, but numerous roadblocks—most recently, the pandemic—have delayed a solution.
A NEW HOME Beginning next year, Niederhauser will finally be able to oversee the realization of a new nursing building that will allow the college to educate more nurses, cultivate more collaboration, and conduct more life-changing research. The new facility is made possible by Sara Croley (BSN ’00) and her husband, Ross. The couple committed $7.5 million to the college, the largest gift in its history, for the facility and the Sara Rosenbalm Croley Endowed Dean’s Chair. “Having worked as a nurse for many years, I have cared for people during some of their most difficult moments. Nurses play such an important role in people’s lives,” said Croley. “Ross and I are investing in the future of nursing in Tennessee. We hope this gift opens a door of opportunity for many more amazing nurses to enter the workforce.” Construction on the renovated and expanded building, projected to be approximately 100,000 square feet, is slated to begin in the summer of 2022 and be completed in two years. The new facility will house enhanced simulation and research labs, including the HITS lab, along with dynamic classroom environments and student collaboration areas. The $60 million anticipated cost of the project will be funded through a combination of donations and state funds. “This investment is one that is certain to pay off for Tennessee, with more than half of our graduates staying in the state to work after graduation,” said Niederhauser. She said she has prioritized a new building since she arrived at UT, and she’s excited about the opportunities for research and community. “What I want is to have a sense of what it means to be a Volunteer nurse—to stand in the shadows and give light to others. What I want is when you walk in the doors, you know you are at Tennessee nursing,” she said. The College of Nursing has much to look forward to as it celebrates its 50th anniversary over the next year, ending with a celebratory gala in 2022. At long last it will have the resources to make the positive impact it is capable of—in the community, in Tennessee, and beyond. The best is yet to come.
A FOCUS ON DIVERSITY AND
INCLUSION The College of Nursing looks to the next 50 years with a focus on diversity and inclusion—including a task force and a new director position. “Diversity, equity, and inclusion are not a concept but should be the clear result of our deliberate and intentional practices,” said Kim Brown, the college’s inaugural director of diversity, equity, and inclusion. These intentional practices include efforts to increase student, faculty, and staff diversity to be more reflective of the state’s population and to improve behaviors to be more aware of diverse cultures. “Our students must be supported by a more diverse faculty and staff presence. It is hard to be what you cannot see. A more diverse registered nurse workforce is integral to delivering high-quality culturally competent care to increasingly diverse populations,” said Brown. Practices will also aim to improve inclusion and change the lens to be able to see diversity and inclusion blind spots. These practices will be the result of an action plan with measurable outcomes and tactics to weave into the college’s culture. The college’s efforts are trending in the right direction, with an increase in employee diversity from just over 5 percent in 2017 to almost 18 percent in 2020. “It’s a good start, but we still have a way to go to realize our goals,” said Dean Victoria Niederhauser.
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than 40 community partner agencies. Last year alone, undergraduate nursing students conducted about 17,000 hours of service in the community. Their work culminates with a senior research project that improves the quality of service for the agency. “We got our students involved in this work after we heard from acute hospital clinical partners that they needed new graduated nurses with stronger soft skills such as communication, innovation, and leadership,” said Shelia Swift, assistant dean for undergraduate programs. “So now the students have the opportunity to gain those skills while helping improve the services the community agencies provide.”
LOCAL TO GLOBAL IMPACT In 2015, the college opened its Center for Nursing Practice to address the lack of access to nursing care throughout the state. The self-funded center supports the growth of nurse-managed clinics, community outreach, collaboration, and education of health care professionals and nurse leaders in the state and beyond. During the pandemic, the skills and compassion of students and faculty were profoundly felt— and needed. “We didn’t hesitate to help,” said Niederhauser. “We said yes when asked. We volunteered when we knew a community partner had a need.” Nursing students and faculty gave more than 26,000 vaccines this year on campus and in various health care and community settings. They performed COVID-19 saliva testing and contact tracing for students on campus, screened employees on football Saturdays, and worked additional hours in hospitals needing coverage. The college’s commitment to service stretches around the globe. Students have participated in service–learning projects in rural communities in Costa Rica and Belize. Faculty have traveled to Kenya to conduct the Helping Babies Breathe program, training 60 health care workers and midwives in an underresourced area to do infant resuscitation. The program has already saved many lives, and plans are in the works for students to join in the future.
Nursing students
in various health
care and community
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T omma Battle’s daughter had been suffering with constant nausea and diarrhea for some time.
Battle took her daughter to specialist after specialist where the doctors ran lots of expensive tests. But, she says, they didn’t listen and repeatedly told her nothing was wrong. Finally a visit to Vine School Health Clinic, run by the UT College of Nursing, set them on the right path to answers. “Within a couple of months, the problem was solved. My concerns as a parent were heard,” said Battle, who has had 13 of her children, foster and biological, get help at Vine for physical and mental health issues. This is just one example of the thousands of families positively impacted by the care of the Vine School Health Clinic over the past 25 years. And the impact keeps growing. Established in 1995, the clinic—a community partnership between Knox County Schools and the College of Nursing—was opened to provide access to care in an area where there was none. It began by treating children from birth to age 21 with physical health issues. But in 2011, Nan Gaylord, associate dean of practice and global affairs, who has been with Vine since its inception, realized something more was needed. “We know that health is not just being physically well. There are so many other social determinants. Does the family have enough food? Do they have health insurance? Do they have parents who know how to care for them? We address all of that,” explained Gaylord. She wrote a grant to expand Vine’s care to provide mental health evaluations, counseling and play therapy
services for children and their families, and assistance with food, housing, clothing, and health insurance applications. This holistic approach applied by the college’s advanced practice nurses and nurses, licensed clinical social workers, and students has had a profound impact
on children’s physical and mental health as well as their academic standing. For example, Vine’s mental health services help families and school personnel understand appropriate behavior interventions so students can stay in school. “Because we provide care at the school, children miss less classroom seat time,” explained Gaylord. “A visit
to the health care provider generally takes half a day. A visit through us takes only a few minutes—then the child is sent back to the classroom, or home if they’re too ill to stay.”
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Vine School H E A L T H C L I N I C
Celebrating 25 Years of Impact BY WHITNEY HEINS
Established in 1995, the clinic—a community partnership between Knox County Schools and the College of Nursing— was opened to provide access to care in an area where there was none.
The approach is also training future nurses and nurse practitioners to look at the whole picture. Grace Cambron, a 2021 graduate who volunteered at Vine for three years, says the comprehensive approach will help her be a better nurse in her new position at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital. “I know the compassion I’ve observed at Vine will translate over into my career as a pediatric nurse,” she said. “I’ve seen nurses and NPs [nurse practitioners] alike take their patients and families snacks and water, and other needed items like shampoo or hand sanitizer. This holistic approach to care impacts children and their families—knowing that they are taken care of in all aspects of their health.” Vine is also unique in that it’s been offering telehealth services to other Knox County Title I schools for years. With telehealth technology, school nurses work in tandem with the clinic’s nurse practitioner to offer pediatric care. Vine staff members rotate to visit each school weekly. Vine’s telehealth capacity enabled the clinic to continue care when the pandemic struck in 2020. Despite strict safety precautions, physical visits
plummeted from the recent average of 8,000 a year. Yet mental health services via virtual connection were up— and vitally needed. “The isolation really impacted children that had other behavioral and mental health concerns,” said Gaylord. “Parents told us, and we saw, that we were really needed.” Vine nurses also travel to Scott County, Tennessee, where there is no pediatric provider, to provide care. And plans are in place to expand care to adults in a low- income housing unit for elderly people. The clinic is just another example of the profound and growing impact the College of Nursing has had on the community and people’s lives. “If it weren’t for Vine, we wouldn’t have gotten help,” said Battle. “I’m so grateful for the loving, patient, warm atmosphere. They truly care.”
Vine is supported through patient fees, grants, and donations. A hundred dollars will support a child’s physical exam including a developmental and behavioral screening and immunizations. Visit VineSchoolHealthClinic.org for more information.
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Nurses work hard. Really hard. It’s not uncommon that they’ll work more than 40 hours during a week or more than three consecutive 12-hour shifts in a row. What also isn’t uncommon is for nurses to do this without taking a break: no time to rest, eat, check out mentally, or even take a nap during a night shift. “Nurses will often use their 30-minute breaks to catch up on other duties or sacrifice their break because they’re afraid of leaving their patients for even a half hour,” explains Knar Sagherian, an assistant professor of nursing. Sagherian experienced this trend firsthand when working as a pediatric nurse in Lebanon. “I’d only take a rest break if my nurse manager or my preceptor at the time told me to,” she remembered. Early in her career as a bedside care nurse, Sagherian observed—and experienced for herself—the high level of fatigue at work. It was years later as a researcher that she realized how short rest breaks during working hours could help nurses better manage their fatigue and, in turn, practice more safely. During her doctoral studies, Sagherian examined how acute fatigue—the kind that can be helped by rest and sleep—affected sickness absenteeism at work. She learned about different fatigue management strategies such as scheduling, caffeine intake, naps, and screening for sleep problems, and she became involved in nighttime napping implementation projects on nursing units. “Other research has examined best practices for managing scheduling, staffing, and workload to impact nurses’ fatigue, but these can be quite difficult to implement or sustain for several reasons,” explained Sagherian. “These findings drove me to think about how we can use within-work recovery—which is much easier to implement or manage—to sustain performance during 12-hour shifts and improve nurse fatigue.” Sagherian surveyed about 600 hospital nurses to determine their levels of insomnia, fatigue, intershift recovery, and psychological well-being, including such factors as burnout and post- traumatic stress. She observed that factors such as how much the nurses worked and how often they took rest breaks had an impact. To determine the extent of that impact, she delved deeper into the data. The surprising results were published this summer in the Journal of Clinical Nursing. “We found a significant correlation between the frequency of 30-minute rest breaks and a lower amount of fatigue. But this was not the case for nurses caring for patients with COVID-19,” she said. Sagherian and her research partners believe the content of rest breaks may have played a key role in this unexpected result. If nurses taking a break cannot mentally disengage from their patients or are constantly interrupted by notifications on their pager, the break may not be enough to reduce fatigue. The quality of rest breaks is where Sagherian’s research is focusing next. “We plan to examine nurses’ rest break characteristics, psychological detachment experiences during these breaks, and how these all affect acute fatigue,” she explained. Sagherian’s goal is for her findings to illustrate the importance of rest breaks in the nursing world, and trigger a sea change for them to be taken more seriously. “My hope is that more nurse leaders will be like mine and ensure nurses take a rest break during their long work hours and that these breaks are structured in an optimal way that helps nurses truly recover and rest,” Sagherian said. Her findings have the promise of bettering patient care—and the health of nurses—nationwide.
Fighting Nurse
THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE COLLEGE OF NURSING
The NightinGala serves as a time to reflect, renew, and reconnect with the College of Nursing as we celebrate our current standing and our mission to educate the next generation of nurse leaders and health care professionals. We also celebrate by presenting two awards: the Volunteer Nursing Champion Award, which recognizes an individual who is committed to improving health care and has made significant contributions to the community, and the Dr. Sylvia E. Hart Distinguished Alumni Award, which goes to a graduate of the college who exemplifies excellence through outstanding achievement, creativity, and service to their profession.
The 2021 NightinGala will be held Friday, November 12, beginning at 6 p.m. This fun-filled evening will include dinner and both silent and live auctions, with entertainment from popular local band the Coveralls on the terrace immediately following the program. All proceeds will support the college’s efforts to develop and educate the next generation of nurse leaders by providing nursing students with state-of-the art technology, classroom space, and equipment to receive the highest quality educational experiences. Visit alumni.utk.edu/NightinGala2021 for more information.
Mr. Alan & Mrs. Sonja Burk
Doc Claussen
Dr. Allison Dulaney
Mr. Joe Mont McAfee
Dr. Victoria Niederhauser
Carl & Peggy Pierce
UT Federal Credit Union
TABLE SPONSORSCORPORATE SPONSORS
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!
T his year’s recipient of the Dr. Sylvia E. Hart Distinguished Alumni Award is Mary Lynn Brown, a
longtime leader in the College of Nursing, the community, and the health care field. Brown has been a faculty member of the college since 1997 and currently serves as a clinical professor with specialized focuses in cardiac, pulmonary, vascular, shock, and trauma adult nursing. Brown has made a significant impact on the students she has taught throughout the years. She works diligently to provide her patients with top-level care and her students with the most informative experiences. She has served multiple times as a site coordinator, going beyond her
responsibilities to assist her students in caring for patients, allowing them in turn to learn and develop essential skills. She has contributed to numerous presentations and scholarly research projects that focus on ways to improve health care in rural communities through nurse-led care. Brown has put her experience to use through volunteer roles within the community, from Flu Shot Saturday to various health and wellness screening sites where she gives her time to provide better health care for all. She currently lives in Knoxville with her husband, Gilbert. Brown has two daughters
and one son. She also has two granddaughters who bring her much joy.
D I S T I N G U I S H E D Alumni Award DR. SYLVIA
E. H ART
Mary Lynn Brown
T he 2021 recipient of the Volunteer Nursing Champion award is Linda Vaughn. This award recognizes an individual who is committed to
improving health care and has made significant contributions to the nursing profession and an impact on the community. Vaughn was born in Maryville, Tennesssee, and attended Maryville City Schools. After graduating from high school, she got a job at a local grocery store and began working to save enough money to attend Knoxville Business College. A few months later Vaughn was approached by the vice president of Blount National Bank and offered a job. She spent three years working there, followed by a 30-year career at Delta Airlines. Shortly after Vaughn’s retirement from Delta she was asked to join the team at her family’s company, Emmet Vaughn Lumber, and worked there until it closed in 2016. Vaughn and her late husband, Emmet “Buck” Vaughn,
were involved with several nonprofit organizations in Knoxville. Vaughn has served on the boards of the Boys & Girls Club of the Tennessee Valley, InterFaith Health Clinic, Helen Ross McNabb Mental Health, and the Greater Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame, which her
husband founded. Vaughn was also a dedicated member of the College of Nursing Advisory Board and is currently a member emerita. She and her husband, along with their friends Natalie and Jim Haslam, started the college’s Student Emergency Assistance Fund, which provides funds for nursing student who are facing personal and financial hardships.
Vaughn has three children—Lee Gardner, Suzanne Vaughn Laine, and Melissa Preston Vaughn—and five grandchildren. After her husband’s passing in 2018, she established the Emmet P. Vaughn Jr. Scholarship in his memory.
V O L U N T E E R Nursing Champion A W A R D
Linda Vaughn
The Phillips Family
Freddie Kojima, Clinical Assistant Professor The Heart of Community What did you want to be when you grew up? Like many other kids, I grew up with a dream of playing sports professionally in the future. I was in training and playing sports until the end of my college career.
When did your career path change? Nursing is my second career. I grew up in Tokyo, Japan. I was majoring in animal science during my undergraduate program and was interested in studying physiology and reproduction of animals. I worked in agricultural/animal industries for a few years after graduation, then had an opportunity to study reproductive physiology and endocrinology of beef cattle in graduate school at the University of Nebraska, performing biomedical and beef cattle reproduction research for my MS and PhD degrees. I moved to the University of Missouri as a research postdoctoral fellow conducting protein chemistry and gene expression research related to the biology of reproduction. Afterward, I became a research assistant professor at the University of Missouri, responsible for beef cattle production research and extension. I was very happy with my position, but 9/11 changed the job situation. At the same time, I became very ill with a mysterious recurring pneumonia. I lost my health for more than two years while I was getting care from nursing staff and medical doctors. After two sinus surgeries, a sinus infection with antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was found—thankfully, it wasn’t MRSA. After I slowly regained my health back, I decided to change my career and applied to a master’s-entry nursing program [an accelerated program for non- RNs to became RNs and then NPs] at the University of Tennessee College of Nursing. Since then, I have worked as a staff nurse and an adult NP before working as a clinical instructor, then clinical assistant professor in nursing education here at UT CON.
Describe your teaching style in 10 words. I want to challenge you in a clinical setting.
What is your main career goal? I would like to help you to become a good nurse in the future—that is my main goal!
Who inspires you? The nursing staff and medical staff who helped and cared for me while I was very ill. Since that time, I have been getting inspiration from all nurses, patients, and nursing students I’ve worked with.
What is your best advice for students? First, a nursing program is inherently not easy. It requires you to gain knowledge from a classroom combined with hands-on skills. To become a good nurse, you need to be proficient in both areas. I will do my best to teach you, but I cannot take you all the way—you have got to meet me halfway. Second, set your goal and make a firm commitment to your training to be successful in nursing. Work hard to achieve your goal!
FACULTY SPOTLIGHT ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
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As a child growing up in Memphis, Michael Curtis (’18) always thought he would become a physician. “I wanted to help combat health care disparities in Memphis,” he said. At just 11 years old Curtis shifted his dreams. He was diagnosed with Type I diabetes mellitus, a chronic condition in which the pancreas produces little to no insulin. After his diagnosis, Curtis spent a significant amount of time at LeBonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis. It was there that he decided to change his career aspirations. He wanted to be a nurse. “The changed was influenced by the compassionate, intentional, patient, and empathetic registered nurses of LeBonheur Children’s Hospital,” he said. “The staff involved in my childhood care made the management, education, and incorporation in lifestyle of such a monumental disease attainable and realistic.” Curtis began his studies in the College of Nursing in 2014. As soon as he arrived on campus, he immersed himself in the UT culture. He became actively involved in countless organizations and held several leadership roles, serving as vice president of both the Student Government Association and the campus chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, a College of Nursing ambassador, a team leader for orientation and the Ignite preorientation program, and the founder and president of Brothers United for Excellence, to name a few. “I was dedicated to serving underrepresented students in order to provide an economical, transformative, and enjoyable collegiate experience,” said Curtis. “I believe in equal opportunity and representation. Often students of color are overlooked in some settings, and I took the obligation to intentionally utilize my skills and seat at the table to make a difference.” Curtis spent many of his college days in the library with fellow nursing students. He said some of his most memorable moments
occurred in the John C. Hodges Library. The community of nursing students supported one another immensely through difficult course material and celebrated one another’s successes.
“The College of Nursing shaped me into the nurse I am today,” he said. “The faculty and staff of the college are truly concerned with the trajectory of each student and made an intentional effort to ensure our success. They provided realistic experiences and expectations of a staff nurse. They also helped instill the necessary characteristics to be an innovative, altruistic, and compassionate registered nurse.” Upon graduation, Curtis returned to Memphis to begin his career as a registered nurse in the Emergency Department and Trauma Intensive Care Unit of Regional Medical Center, where he serves a diverse patient population who have an array of factors affecting their health. “I have an undying dedication of serving the community, and I wanted to continue that by serving in the staple medical center of Memphis—Regional Medical Center,” he said. “Accepting traumas within the 150-mile radius, there are ample factoring affecting our community, and I need to be in the heart of it in order to make a difference.” In February Curtis was named by the Tennessee Nurses Association, the Tennessee Hospital Association, and the Tennessee Action Coalition as a Tennessee 40 Under 40 Nurse Leader, a recognition program aimed at engaging and empowering young nurses to lead the profession in improving the health of Tennesseans. Curtis became a critical care registered nurse in April 2021. He hopes to further his education and attend graduate school to become a nurse anesthetist so he can continue
to close the gap on health care disparities. “I have become a successful health care professional because I am inquisitive and intentional,” he said. “I question the status quo to improve outcomes and treat each patient with dignity, respect and love.” N
Nursing Students Step Up to Provide COVID Vaccinations
B eginning in the fall of 2020, UT nursing students stepped up to help fight the spread of COVID-19 by volunteering at testing sites, helping with campus saliva testing, and providing health screenings at campus events.
Community members noticed the great work they were doing, and when the vaccine rollout began the College of Nursing was contacted to help with distribution. “Volunteering to administer the COVID-19 vaccines has been an incredibly humbling experience,” said senior nursing student Corinne Shapiro of Columbia, Tennessee. “After months of pushing forward in health care despite the challenges, these vaccine clinics have been a glimpse of hope towards a better future. I am so grateful for this hands-on experience and opportunity.” Under the leadership of College of Nursing faculty members, student nurses began helping at vaccination clinics throughout the city. Covenant Health, the Knox County Health Department, Cherokee Health Systems, UT Medical Center, and Faith Leaders Church Initiative were among the list of partners. A clinic to vaccinate Covenant Health staff members was one of the first where the college assisted. “When I received the opportunity to volunteer at the COVID vaccine clinic with Covenant Health, I was overwhelmed with excitement,” said senior Kayla Miller of West
students made me see that the future of nursing is in good hands.” In partnership with the Knox County Health Department and multiple campus departments, Vol nursing students also began distributing the vaccine to eligible populations on campus. “The on-campus clinics were great examples of interdisciplinary practice, with nursing, pharmacy, medicine, facilities management, emergency management, and a host of volunteers carrying out what it really means when we say ‘Vol is a Verb,’” said Allyson Matney Neal, clinical assistant professor of nursing. While students were given clinical hours for their time, some chose to extend their volunteer hours without that benefit. “Some students will sign up to work a four-hour shift and end up voluntarily staying a full seven hours,” said Shelia Swift, assistant dean of undergraduate programs. “Nurses are continuing to do their best to meet that call whenever and wherever they can.” To date students have given out around 26,000 vaccinations. Niederhauser said, “To be a Volunteer means to live the Torchbearer Creed, ‘One that beareth a torch shadoweth oneself to give light to others.’ By participating in these clinics in partnership with our community agencies and hospitals, I believe we are helping to shed a ray of hope that we will get this pandemic under control and people will be able to get back to some sort of new normalcy in work and play.”
Dundee, Illinois. “I had read about the vaccine a lot and heard about it on the news, but it finally felt real when this opportunity arose. It was such an inspiring experience being able to help distribute the vaccine.” The college was also approached by Faith Leaders Church Initiative, a coalition of local church leaders, to assist with vaccination clinics.
“The nursing students were professional and provided excellent care. They were attuned to the needs of the senior populations coming in and worked calmly and efficiently to make their time with us pleasant,” said Bonnie Graham, a member of the coalition. “I saw kindness, compassion, and camaraderie for a single purpose, which was to vaccinate as many as was possible with the vaccines on hand. This was an extraordinary effort given the time frame and the volume of people coming through on a regular basis.” The experience was beneficial to both the community and the nursing students. “The college’s mission is leading care, creating partnerships, and improving health,” said Dean Victoria Niederhauser. “Not only are we advancing
the health of our community through vaccines, we are providing the students with an opportunity to practice nursing and public health skills in a community setting.” “What I saw at the vaccination clinic was future RNs working for a common goal—service for a common good,” said Graham. “These
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R achel Ramsey didn’t grow up wanting to be a nurse. She began her college experience at Belmont University, where she majored in music business.
“I originally wanted to go on the road with artists and help them with their music careers,” she said. After spending a year at Belmont, Ramsey decided to shift her career path. “There was a television show called A Baby Story that actually
sparked my interest in nursing,” she said. “I love taking care of people and loved babies, so it all just kind of fit together.” She was accepted to UT and the College of Nursing in 2002. “I still remember where I was sitting when I opened the acceptance letter
shoulder asking me to come home with them, I knew we had to do something to help them once they got home.” Little did she know that her separate dreams of being in the music business and helping families care for newborns were about to come together. While working in the hospital, Ramsey was approached by a friend offering her a nanny position for country music star Jennifer Nettles of the band Sugarland. It proved to be a great match. “Rachel has a gift. She loves babies and mamas, and recognizes the importance of caring for both,” said Nettles. “She will put you at ease knowing that not only is your precious baby in the capable trained hands of a registered nurse but also in the warm and loving hands of a natural nurturer.” “Being on the road with country music singers and their babies has definitely brought this full circle for me,” said Ramsey. “I feel like I am living the ultimate dream every day of my life.”
BRINGING IT ALL TO FRUITION In 2017, Ramsey founded the Newborn Nurse LLC, providing Middle Tennessee with lactation care, newborn care, and night nurse care. The goal was simple: to help families more easily navigate the transition to life with a newborn baby. “I Googled ‘How to start a business,’” Ramsey said. “From the ground up, step by step, I built this entire company. It was not easy, but
A Baby A Baby StoryStory
from the College of Nursing,” she said. “I was ecstatic to begin my nursing education at such a prestigious and highly renowned and rated nursing school.”
As Ramsey began her classes, her passion for mothers and babies was ignited. “I loved the mother–baby classes and the lactation class that I took during my time in the College of Nursing,” she said. “I remember being on fire for moms and babies once I took the related courses, and couldn’t wait to use my nursing skills to help them.” Ramsey graduated from UT with her BSN in 2005.
FULL CIRCLE Following graduation, Ramsey spent 14 years as a mother–baby RN, where she saw a great need for families to have more care once they walked out of
the hospital with their newborn. “As a nurse, you discharge the mom and walk her to the car with her newborn baby to go home,” she said. “After years of walking moms out the door, handing them their newborn, and having them cry on my
my passion for helping new moms was my driving force.” The Newborn Nurse offers a plethora of services to its clients. The company provides everything from Baby 101 classes that help parents learn how to care for a newborn to emotional support, household help
for the family, and even in-home overnight RN care. “Sometimes these parents just need a few more days or weeks of care, and then they feel like they have their sea legs and have adjusted a little bit better to life with their newborn,” said Ramsey. Ramsey has now worked with more than 160 families in Nashville and surrounding
areas. Her list of clients includes country music stars Maren Morris, Kane Brown, and Chris Stapleton, and Predators hockey players Roman Josi and Pekka Rinne. The Newborn Nurse has grown to employ more than 30 nurses and lactation consultants. Collectively, the staff has over 260 years of nursing experience and has cared for more than 600,000 babies. “Starting a business was not my end game,” said Ramsey. “Sometimes I sit back and think, Wow. It is wild how all of this came to fruition. I feel so blessed to wake up and do what I love every day. I give all the credit to God, my team, and my outstanding nursing education at the University of Tennessee College of Nursing.” N
Ramsey (’05) with a patient in 2017 shortly after starting The Newborn Nurse.
“Being on the road with country music singers and their
babies has definitely brought this full
circle for me,” said Ramsey. “I feel
like I am living the ultimate dream every
day of my life.”
“I was ecstatic to begin my nursing education at such a prestigious and highly renowned
and rated nursing school.”
Wendy Wortham and her husband, Dale, recently celebrated their
50th wedding anniversary. She always knew the importance of
nursing—Dale Wortham is a cardiologist, and she had seen him work
alongside countless nurses—but she learned firsthand exactly how
life-changing nurses can be when she was diagnosed with acute
myeloid leukemia in 2019.
University of Kentucky and California College of Arts and Crafts
in San Francisco. She owned an interior design business for over
20 years and traveled across the country with her husband in his
years as a military physician. The couple and their family resided in
multiple places, including Hawaii, San
Francisco, and Washington, DC.
devote her time to volunteer work. She
has served on the boards of Catholic
Charities of East Tennessee, the
American Heart Association, Knoxville
serves on the board of UT’s Clarence
Brown Theatre and Trinity Health Foundation, and she has been a
member of the College of Nursing Advisory Board since the fall
of 2016.
“The main reason I joined the board was Dean Niederhauser,” she
said. “We had a close personal connection after realizing we both
lived in Hawaii. As I became more involved with the board, I realized
the importance of nurses and the work the college was doing to
help prepare them. In 2019 the undergraduate nursing students
had a 98.5 percent NCLEX pass rate. Based on that alone, you can
tell how hard the college is working to train these young men and
women to be the best nurses.”
During an extended family trip to Hawaii in August 2019,
Wortham began to experience some health issues. “I thought I was
in heart failure during our trip,” she said. “As soon as we returned to
Knoxville, we went straight to the hospital to have blood work done.
That is when we found out about my diagnosis.”
She was admitted to the UT Medical Center, where she spent
35 nights. She was under the care of countless health care
professionals during her lengthy stay.
“Doctors give the orders, but nurses are the real caretakers,”
she said. “I already knew that nurses were fabulous, but now I
understand the impact they have on care.”
Following her stay at UTMC, Wortham traveled to MD Anderson
Cancer Center in Houston to receive treatment from a world-
renowned leukemia specialist.
“I spent 36 additional nights in the hospital with nurses who
provided me with the best care,” she said. “My journey with AML has
been a marathon, not a sprint. These nurses will be with me as I near
the finish line.”
After a battle of nearly two years and a stem cell transplant from
her brother, Wortham is now in complete remission. Her motto in life
is to live by the three Fs—faith, family, and friends. “That’s how I’ve
gotten through my life,” she said.
She and her husband still reside in Knoxville. They have two sons:
Keller Wortham, a physician and actor who lives in Los Angeles, and
Taylor Wortham, a financial advisor who lives in Knoxville with his
wife, Simonne, and their children, SiSi and William.
“Nurses are so desperately needed across the country,” said
Wortham. “I hope that I can continue to support the College of
Nursing in its efforts to educate quality nurses.”
The College of Nursing Advisory Board was established in 1988 to assist in developing plans and strategies to guide the college’s future. It is made up of a group of dedicated individuals interested in sharing the college’s commitment to excellence.
The mission of the advisory board is to assist the college by strengthening and enhancing its relations with its external constituencies, help promote awareness in the community, share in program development and evaluation of activities, assist with fundraising, and support the college’s continuing education and outreach activities. The advice and insights of advisory board members have proven invaluable to the college as we continue to enhance our reputation as a premier leader in nursing education.
MEET THE ADVISORS Wendy Wortham
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Wendy Wortham with her husband, Dale, their children, Keller and Taylor, daughter in law, Simonne, and grandchildren, SiSi and William.
“Doctors give the orders, but nurses are the real caretakers.”
Hayden Thornton is a sophomore in the traditional
BSN program. Her goal after graduation is to work for a year or
two and return to school to become a nurse practitioner.
“Scholarships are a selfless and generous donation that do not go unnoticed. As a student paying my own way through
school, every scholarship only helps me to go on and help
others. Thank you for allowing me to pursue an education with less financial stress.”
Billie Ogle is an RN to BSN student from Newport, Tennessee. Her goal after graduation is
to further her nursing career and provide more knowledgeable care to her patients.
She will graduate in summer 2022.
“This scholarship will help me in furthering my education and practicing my passion, which is nursing. My goal is to achieve my BSN to strengthen me as a nurse to provide even more
educated up-to-date care for those entrusted in my
care—my patients.”
graduate in 2023 and pursue an academic faculty position that
combines research, clinical practice, and education.
“I am so grateful for the generosity of the donors. Scholarship funding has
allowed me to focus on my doctoral studies and research
full time. The ability to be fully immersed in my academic work is a blessing and I am
thankful for the opportunity.”
Notes of Gratitude Students express thanks for the generosity of their scholarship donors.
Named scholarships are critical to attracting and
retaining outstanding students. An enhanced
pool of scholarship dollars increases the number of
scholarships we award each year and expands unique experiences outside of the
classroom for our students to learn and serve.
Learn more about giving opportunities at
nursing.utk.edu/give-to- ut-nursing
or contact Diannah Eagle, director of advancement,
College of Nursing, at 865-974-9322 or deagle@utfi.org.
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Victoria Furka, a native of New Jersey, originally planned to attend medical school after completing her undergraduate degree. But after
making multiple visits to developing countries and discovering a passion for serving underprivileged communities, she changed those plans. Furka, who obtained her undergraduate degree from the University of Louisiana, spent her free time volunteering with impoverished populations. Her passion for service to those communities ultimately led her abroad. In Cambodia she served at Home of Hope, a haven for orphaned and abandoned boys with severe mental and physical disabilities. “I was able to feed, bathe, tutor, and tend to the boys with
Restoring Dignity and Worth
disabilities to relieve some of the great burden that was on the few staff members who ran the very populated home,” she said. She also served at Nirmal Hridhay, the Missionary of Charity’s home in India. Furka spent her days there caring for women on their deathbeds by giving them massages, wrapping their wounds, feeding and bathing them, and providing them with comfort during their final days. In 2019, Furka traveled to a small medical dispensary in rural Tanzania where she was appointed temporary director of health education for the village. “Doctors had very little time to spend outside of the dispensary,” said Furka. “This is why they appointed me to this role. I spent my time putting
together informational posters in Swahili regarding basic sanitary practices. After dispensary hours, I helped teach English phonetics to English teachers at a nearby school and led discussions on teaching strategies.” During the summer of 2020, Furka decided it was time to pursue a different profession—nursing. “I’ve always desired to serve the needs of the poorest in our world, and for a long time I thought I could do this in the most effective way by becoming a doctor and traveling the world,” she said. “Weeks before I was supposed to start medical school, I was reflecting on all the experiences that helped to shape my love for the medical field, and each of these in their own way utilized the intimacy of the nursing profession to restore dignity, meaning, and community to those in poverty and to promote global health education for those in the greatest need.” Furka is now completing her nursing degree through the accelerated BSN program. After graduating next spring, she plans to work as a bedside nurse for several years while continuing to volunteer with underprivileged populations. “I am inspired daily by the people I have met through my experiences in third-world countries,” said Furka. “These profoundly kind, generous, loving people inspire me to always do everything I can to advocate for and give back to those affected by poverty.” Furka believes nurses must strive to see beyond just the medical need, ultimately promoting dignity and mutual respect through compassionate care and advocacy for everyone. Nurses have a unique opportunity to restore dignity and worth to underprivileged individuals—and as a nurse she hopes to be able to give those individuals the quality care they need and the health education they deserve.
Victoria Furka serves underprivileged communities in developing countries.
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