The College of Nursing partners with a wide range of local clinical sites and offers state-of-the-art clinical lab environments on campus. Together, these settings give students meaningful opportunities to build skills, gain confidence, and translate classroom learning into practice.
In addition to these local experiences, clinical associate professors Carrie Bailey and Lynn Beeler have helped students expand their learning through an immersive global clinical experience. Their dream led to an unforgettable learning experience in Hawaiʻi.
When the COVID-19 pandemic threatened to derail the idea, support from Victoria Neiderhauser, dean of the college, helped turn that dream into reality.
Through Neiderhauser’s leadership, the college established new partnerships with University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, the local school system, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, and Waimānalo Health Center. These collaborations opened the door for students to learn beyond the familiar communities of East Tennessee.
Once immersed in Hawaiʻi’s culture and communities, students discovered something unexpected: the island paradise shared many similarities with home.
In some areas, they saw challenges that closely mirror those in Appalachia—poverty, families working multiple jobs, and communities relying on schools and local organizations for stability and support. School nurses, in particular, play a critical role, caring for children so students can stay healthy and in class while parents remain at work.
Even amid these challenges, our nursing students were welcomed with warmth and enthusiasm.
They also witnessed the pairing of Western medicine and traditional healing practices. Alongside clinical care, patients learned how to grow medicinal plants, harvest them, and prepare them to support their health—an approach that highlighted the importance of culturally grounded care and whole-person wellness.
Through the experience Bailey and Beeler created, students not only developed their clinical skills but also broadened their understanding of how culture shapes health and healthcare. From observing traditional healing practices to observing nursing in local schools, students opened their minds and hearts to a new learning environment.
Equally important was the sense of community built throughout the experience. By forming relationships and learning from local partners, nursing students gained deeper insight into how meaningful connections help providers better care for the people they serve.
Looking ahead, the partnership continues to grow. The long-term vision includes welcoming nursing students from Hawaiʻi to Knoxville to learn alongside the College of Nursing. Plans for future exchanges and expanded opportunities are still being discussed.
Contacts:
Kara Clark Cardwell ([email protected], 865-974-9498)
Lauren Bryant ([email protected], 865-974-1271)