UTHSC College of Nursing

The college was so pleased to present Megan Lippe PhD, RN, ANEF, FAAN, as our speaker at the 2024 William T. Cashdollar Distinguished Visiting Professorship. The lectureship is an annual event developed to help health care providers minister to the needs of dying persons and their families, as well as to their fellow professionals who provide the care. Nearly 200 attended the event on Friday.

Imagine watching from a distance as your hometown becomes a site of devastation. That is what happened to nursing student Payton Murray when Hurricane Helene swept through the mountains, destroying towns in Western North Carolina, East Tennessee, and elsewhere on Sept. 26. A native of Ashville, NC, Payton, 24, spent her whole life in Western North Carolina before moving to Memphis to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) in January at the The University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Nursing. In cooperation with the Nursing Student Government Association, Payton is spearheading an on-campus donation drive for necessities for residents in the disaster zone from Nov. 4-15. Donations may be made in the first-floor lounge area of the Crowe Building. “Hurricane Helene has taken nearly 100 lives in Western North Carolina, a large portion from Asheville. People still are living without water or power,” Payton said. “This storm has literally ruined lives, swept away entire towns, and has left people with nothing. Helene has turned an area that was so beautiful into a disaster zone.” The oldest of three children, Payton said her family and home are intact, although the family does yet not have drinkable, running water. “They have been volunteering and making trips to neighboring small towns to transport donations,” she said. Recommended donations for the NSGA drive include clothing and winter coats, blankets, toiletries, hygiene products, baby supplies, toys, and games. Only new or gently used clothing items should be donated. “I have felt kind of helpless since the storm, so this donation drive makes me feel like I am helping in some way,” Payton said. “Any amount of donations will make a difference to someone suffering in Western North Carolina.” Associate Professor and NSGA Advisor Alisa Haushalter, DNP, RN, PHNA-BC, said, “Nurses are taught that everyone is a leader – whatever their role. As a student, Payton has demonstrated exemplary leadership and professional responsibility during a crisis. The NSGA is honored to work with Payton to make her vision of a donation drive a reality.” 

Check out our latest, award-winning magazine at the link below to read stories about our inspiring #nursing students and faculty at The University of Tennessee Health Science Center! https://lnkd.in/eTGpkvmS

It was a wonderful night to celebrate nursing and nursing research at the Friends of the National Institute of Nursing Research (FNINR) Gala! The University of Tennessee Health Science Center was well-represented, with many of our leadership team attending. The group included Dean Wendy Likes; Executive Associate Dean of Academic Affairs Charleen McNeill, PhD, MSN, RN; Assistant Dean of Graduate Programs Bobby Bellflower; Associate Dean of Research Ansley Grimes Stanfill; Assistant Professor and Director of the Center of Community and Global Partnerships Lisa Beasley; Associate Professor Marie Gill; Associate Professor Shannon Rose; Professor Anne Alexandrov; and Assistant Professor Keesha Roach, PhD, RN.

Smiling on their last day of clinicals at Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare North, these #BSN students are scheduled to graduate in December! We truly appreciate our clinical partners in developing these #futurenurses.

Proud of these The University of Tennessee Health Science Center #Nursing faculty members who have taken on leadership roles in the Tennessee Nurses Association! Dr. Christie Manasco is serving a second term as Director of Education. Instructor Tori Webster was elected Secretary for TNA District 1, and Assistant Professor Kimberly Kennel PhD was elected Treasurer of TNA District. Congrats to all!

The University of Tennessee Health Science Center Nursing Mobile Health Unit team assisted with 95 health screenings at Margaret Newton Elementary in Lake County on Friday! The unit, funded through a 4-year, $3.9 million grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSAgov), HHS, increases access to health care in rural Lauderdale and Lake counties.

Last day of clinicals for these #BSN students from The University of Tennessee Health Science Center! All three groups completed their Concepts III clinical rotations at Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare. They will graduate in December. #futurenurses

The Black Student Association (BSA) recently sponsored an event to provide our nursing students with insights into various nursing roles and the professional landscape. Our panelists motivated the BSA members about the diverse opportunities within the nursing profession. The panelists, from left, are Dr. Sonia R. Thomas, DNP, MSN, NEA-BC, RNC, Chief of Nursing, Shelby County Health Department, Nursing and Allied Health Bureau; Kristie Peggins, DNP, APRN, AG-ACNP-BC, FNP-C; Assistant Professor & CARES Team Nurse Practitioner Andrea Sebastian, DNP, APRN, CPNP-AC/PC, AFN-C, SANE-P, DM-AFN; and Nurse Anesthesiologist James A. Winters, DNP, CRNA, NSPM-C.

We are hiring! Our highly-ranked Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program has opened a new pathway – the DNP for Nurse Executives, which is currently enrolling for Fall 2025. If you, or someone you know, would like to work in a dynamic, collaborative, and supportive academic setting, please read on. We are seeking a leader for this DNP concentration. This faculty position will be responsible for final development, coordination and teaching within the DNP Program: Nurse Executive Concentration. An earned doctoral degree from an accredited university is required, and certification/recertification as an Executive Nurse is preferred. To learn more about our college, go to https://uthsc.edu/nursing. For complete details on the role, go to: https://lnkd.in/gPTwxjNs