Please join us for Dean Niederhauser’s inaugural State of the School Address to learn about the College of Nursing’s current standing in our mission to optimize health through nurse-led care.
Monday, August 27, 2018 from 5-7pm
Neyland Stadium, East Club (enter gate 26)
Heavy hors d’oeuvres
RSVP by August 20
Space is limited
Questions? Email across15@utk.edu
It is a distinct honor to send National Nurses Week wishes to more than 5,000 UT nursing alumni all over the world! I would also like to recognize our 76 fac
Dean Victoria Niederhauser
ulty members and 766 current students, 110 of which will walk across the stage at commencement on Saturday! I know that in big and small ways, by your words and actions, you make a Volunteer Difference in the lives of those you touch. You inspire. You innovate. You influence. Continue reading
Sandy Cobb, a UT nursing PhD student, is one of the first class of Tennessee Fellowship for Graduate Excellence recipients.
Sandy Cobb first became interested in seizure disorders while working as an EEG technician at the University of North Carolina Medical Center.
Now Cobb, earning her PhD in nursing, was in the first group of students to receive the Tennessee Fellowship for Graduate Excellence. The premier program provided top-dollar fellowships that helped UT recruit some of the nation’s best graduate students in all fields. Continue reading
Kim Powell joined the college in August as an assistant professor. She received her PhD along with a graduate certificate in health policy from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, an MSN from Spalding University and a BSN from Purdue University.
Powell’s research interests are in the areas of health information technology and self-management of patients with multiple chronic conditions. As part of her dissertation research, Powell conducted a multiple methods study and formed partnerships with UT’s Haslam College of Business and private-sector organizations in order to investigate the use of electronic patient portals.
In January 2018, Powell was awarded a post-doctoral appointment with the University of Missouri Sinclair School of Nursing. As part of her post-doctoral appointment she will work on a grant funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to examine information technology adoption in nursing homes and the impact of technology on quality measures.
The ultimate goal of Powell’s research is to use technological tools such as the electronic patient portal to improve outcomes. “In order to make a significant impact on patient outcomes and to improve delivery of health care services in our country, we must think differently about how we engage patients and empower them to be partners in their care,” said Powell.
As a nurse researcher, Powell is passionate about leading change through improved partnerships between patients and providers as well as partnerships between researchers and health care organizations. During her doctoral studies, she was able to partner with the nation’s largest provider of post-acute care and another large primary care organization in mutually beneficial ways. They supported her in her research and she helped them by giving them insight into their processes and potential areas for improvement.
UT and East Tennessee Children’s Hospital (ETCH) have teamed up to create a program with the goal of developing innovations to implement at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital and other hospitals with similar goals.
The Health Innovation Partnership Program (HIPP) will foster collaboration between experts from UT’s College of Nursing, Tickle College of Engineering, and School of Art, and ETCH in an effort to improve everything from patient wait times to recovery from surgery.
“Innovative ideas help a hospital run more efficiently,” said Susan Fancher, clinical instructor and simulation director in nursing. “We want to help ETCH make even better impacts on patient lives. Some of what the UT team will do is teach simulation best practices. Staff who practice skills in a safe simulated learning environment maintain competencies and work together as a team more effectively.”
She said that HIPP will focus on two main areas: Helping the hospital define their problems and needs, and helping them learn processes that address those problems and needs.
“It takes partnerships like this to advance the care we provide within our health system,” said Hella M. Ewing, vice president of patient care services and chief nursing officer at ETCH. “Matching experts at the bedside with the experts at HIPP will allow a synergy to develop creative solutions to the problems that are frustrating and impede efficient quality care. The response from the staff, physicians, and leadership has been very positive.”
One of the driving concepts behind HIPP is that people in the medical field often have great ideas for improving patient care or processes but seldom have the time and tools to develop their ideas.
Sarah Lowe, a professor of graphic design in the School of Art, will teach stakeholders at ETCH—including administrators, educators, providers, and patient advocates—to learn design process thinking, helping to give ETCH the means to develop innovative products or processes to improve care.
Xueping Li, an associate professor of industrial and systems engineering, brings his technological expertise to the project to help develop some of those ideas.
“They have good ideas, but no time,” said Li. “We have the time, research, and students to put their ideas to life.”
He previously worked with Fancher and Tami Wyatt, nursing associate dean of research and Torchbearer Professor, to develop the Health, Innovation, Technology, and Simulation Laboratory—or HITS Lab—at UT, where some training and testing will occur.
Once the HIPP team defines the problem and possible solution, engineering will work out the technical aspects, nursing will focus on the real-world constraints and needs, students will test the new methods or technology, and art will help make it consumer friendly.
Li stressed that the first step toward success is having buy-in and understanding at the executive level before taking it down through the ranks, and that they should consider that even the smallest changes can have major impacts—something echoed by Fancher.
“George Herman Ruth once said, ‘Yesterday’s home runs don’t win today’s game,’” said Ewing. “Having hit 714 home runs, Babe Ruth is revered as one of the greatest baseball players of all time, and just as he reinvented his sport we must never stop reinventing ourselves. We must continue to question the norm and develop solutions for our problems. Through innovated ideas, we can effect change in our pediatric environment and may be able to help other pediatric facilities that suffer from the same problems.”
Using a race car pit crew analogy, Fancher pointed out that something as small as the actions of the person who fills tire pressure can drastically change the outcomes for the driver, so it is essential to practice in a team before the race occurs.
“Even things like how well you have your cleaning crew trained for particular areas of the hospital can impact a patient’s experience,” said Fancher. “We want them to consider all possibilities and become their own best advocates.”
Li said Wyatt was key in developing the idea and building momentum for the new project.
“Wyatt brings experience in innovation labs after touring the country and observing different ways and approaches of doing things,” said Li. “She saw other areas where health care, technology, and innovation were building partnerships and she wanted to bring that here.”
“With contacts in places like Boston, Cincinnati, and Orlando, we can learn from the best of the best and integrate innovation into the fabric of health care here in East Tennessee,” said Wyatt.
Li also credited Stacey Patterson, UT’s vice president of research, outreach, and engagement and president of the UT Research Foundation, for her support and enthusiasm for the project.
The American Academy of Nursing announces the designation of Nan Gaylord, PhD, RN, CPNP-PC, PMHS, FAANP, FAAN as an Academy Edge Runner for her model, Interprofessional Practice at the Vine School Health Center: A School-Based Nurse-Managed Clinic (VSHC). The Academy’s Raise the Voice Edge Runner initiative recognizes nurse-designed models of care that improve quality, impact cost, and enhance patient satisfaction. Continue reading
Join us for a University of Tennessee, College of Nursing alumni gathering on Thursday, April 26, 2018 from 5-7pm at Calhoun’s on the River. Come to this free event to enjoy heavy hors d’oeuvres and reconnect with classmates, faculty and friends. Dress is business casual. Continue reading
The 2018 Pharmacology Update is provided by the University of Tennessee College of Nursing and the UT Health Science Center College of Pharmacy. The program is for nurses, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, psychologists, social workers substance abuse counselors and other health care providers. Continue reading
Health and information resources will be available to the UT community at HealthBeat 2018, a free health fair for UT students, faculty and staff.
UT’s College of Nursing is joining forces with the Student Health Center and UT Medical Center for the event, which will be held from 8 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 11 in the Panhellenic Building.
A variety of screenings and tests will be provided, and exhibition booths will be set up with representatives from health care organizations and university departments.
MEDIC Regional Blood Center also will be holding a blood drive from 10 AM—3 PM in room 206 (Enter 2nd floor from 16th street for greater convenience).
Some of the available information will cover stroke prevention, perinatal education and women’s health, lung and oral cancer, trauma and Stop the Bleed.
Free screenings will include the following:
Departments and programs that will have representatives or booths at the fair include the Student Health Center and Pharmacy, the UT Police Department, International House, Disability Services and the Center for Health Education and Wellness and Rec Sports/Fitness.
CONTACT:
Dr. Mary Sue Hodges (865-974-7596, mhodges4@utk.edu)
Dean Victoria Niederhauser was recently named co-chair of the Beryl Institute’s Nurse Executive Council (NEC). The NEC is comprised of a diverse network of senior nurse leaders from organizations across North America who will work collaboratively with the Institute to develop strategies for nursing engagement at all levels in the global patient experience movement. Read the full press release from The Beryl Institute. Continue reading
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