Durbin Named Fellow of American Association of Nurse Anesthetists
Terrica Durbin, interim assistant dean of graduate programs, and DNP program chair at the University of Tennessee, College of Nursing was recently selected as a fellow of the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA).
The Fellows of the AANA (FAANA) designation distinguishes certified registered nurse anesthetists as being the premier anesthesia provider with a high level of skills, training, experience, achievement, and professional standards. The FAANA designation represents a commitment to quality, professional development, and continued education ensuring that FAANA designees stand apart from other providers.
“I am humbled and honored to have been selected for the inaugural class of Fellows of the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists,” said Durbin. “The Fellows program will serve to highlight and elevate the scholarly and creative work of nurse anesthetists across the country.”
Durbin earned an MSN in Nurse Anesthesia from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, a DNP in Acute Care Nursing from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis, Tennessee, and a Ph.D. in Education at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Durbin teaches in the DNP Program and the Nurse Anesthesia concentration at the University of Tennessee. Her research interests are diversity in nursing and nurse anesthesia, design thinking and nursing, and cultural competence in nurse anesthesia.
The 2021 Fellows Induction Ceremony Luncheon will take place on Saturday, August 14, 2021, during the AANA Annual Congress in Austin, TX.
Nurses Week Feature, College of Nursing Grad Overcomes Hardships
Jasmine Terrell, an RN from Indianapolis, had always dreamed of being a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner so she could provide quality care to children. When Terrell hit the submit button on her DNP application in 2017 she had no idea how much her life would change as she began to chase her dreams.
“Being a graduate student is no small task. It’s well known that its requirements are meant to push you into your best self,” said Terrell. “I would have laughed if someone told me what my life would look like by the end of this program!”
Terrell faced several big life changes over the course of her 3 years in the DNP program. Terrell got engaged, got married, moved across state lines twice, had a career change, and welcomed a baby girl into the world.
“Life has a way of happening whether you’re ready or not,” said Terrell. “Although these changes were all huge blessings, they didn’t come without challenges.”
During what was supposed to be the happiest time of her life Terrell received some devastating news. Three days before her wedding Terrell got the call that her sister had passed away from stage four glioblastoma, an incurable form of brain cancer.
Terrell also suffered from postpartum depression and anxiety following the arrival of her baby girl.
Among all of the other challenges Terrell was facing in March of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic turned the world upside down. “I came back from maternity leave and two weeks later, COVID-19 hit,” said Terrell. “There was nothing it didn’t impact- my job in the Pediatric ICU, my family, my clinicals, and my doctoral project.”
Terrell continued to persevere despite everything she was facing.
“So many times I questioned my skills, wanted to quit, take a year off, and try again another time. Instead, I chose to stay,” said Terrell. “I stayed because I knew God would not bring me this far to stop now. I stayed because I wanted to make my family proud, as well as myself. I stayed because I wanted to keep the promise to myself that I would provide safe, effective, quality care for children in a more advanced way than I had been able to before. It was not the easy choice but I remained resilient and saw it through to the end.”
Terrell will finally get to cross the stage in May and receive her DNP degree with a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner license.
Terrell’s goal is to help children live their healthiest lives, and improve their wellness while decreasing health disparities. “This degree was what I have always dreamt about,” said Terrell.
Following graduation, Terrell will take the boards to work as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner in Primary Care in Nashville, TN.
“My faith, amazing support system, and encouraging professors and peers helped me to get to this day and I couldn’t be more proud of myself,” said Terrell. “My largest obstacles have truly become my biggest victories. I pray that all graduate students continue to fight for their dreams no matter what obstacles they face. If you have made it this far, it is for a reason.”
Nurses Week Feature, Nursing Faculty Member Reflects on 50 Years
National Nurses Week is celebrated annually from May 6, also known as National Nurses Day, until May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing. To Mary Lynn Brown, a beloved professor at the College of Nursing the week is a way to reflect on the tremendous impact nurses have on health care.
“Nurses Week is a time to think about the numerous opportunities and venues nurses practice in and make a difference in,” said Brown.
While Nurses Week has always been important to Brown this year is unique.
“I graduated from nursing school on May 8, 1971,” said Brown. “Exactly 50 years later my youngest daughter, Jennifer Reagan, will be crossing the stage on May 8, 2021, to receive her bachelor of science in nursing.”
Reagan will begin her career in the Cardiovascular Step-Down Unit at Fort Sanders Regional where her mother worked 40 years earlier.
Brown, the oldest of seven children, always dreamed of being a nurse. “I decided I wanted to be a nurse in elementary school,” said Brown. “My mom’s oldest sister was a nurse and talked about nursing when she came to visit. It was a perfect fit for me. I never lost the passion I had for nursing when I graduated 50 years ago. Nursing is a great profession- always challenging and exciting.”
Brown joined the College of Nursing in 1997 and has spent the last 24 years mentoring and guiding student nurses.
“Working with students to help them achieve their goals of becoming a VOL Nurse is important,” said Brown “I believe we need to provide support and understanding as students face more than the challenges of academics. “I tell my students, Brown said. “The road may be difficult and present many challenges but together we can achieve success.”
Brown’s passion and dedication have earned her numerous clinical and teaching recognitions, including ten College of Nursing Outstanding Classroom Teaching Awards; 2012 Alumni Outstanding Teaching Award; two DAISY Faculty Awards; the 2009 Chancellor’s Excellence in Teaching Award; and 2003 Excellence in Education Award, a national award from The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses.
“Though I have won many teaching and clinical awards during my career,” said Brown. “My greatest accomplishment has been reflecting on my 50 years of nursing and the impact I have made on the lives of hundreds of patients, families, students, and colleagues at the University of Tennessee, College of Nursing”
College of Nursing honors students participated in Catalyst on April 7, 2021.
Catalyst is a one-day program offered through the Jones Center of Learning and Service designed for emerging student leaders who are interested in starting something extraordinary.
Participating in Catalyst is a first step in the life-long process of learning, exploration, and action. The program is designed to allow participants the time and space to connect with others and engage in learning more about their own story of leadership.
While appropriate for a variety of participants, Catalyst was designed primarily for individuals who are open to the exploration of authenticity, connection, and commitment while increasing their capacity to lead. They might currently be members of standing organizations or groups or be exploring involvement and action in the greater community.
The content of the program was designed to meet the multiple learning styles of each group. Participants are engaged in small group dialogue, large group interaction, and personal reflection. The content of this day pushes participants to get real with themselves. At the end of this experience, participants leave compelled to start a new habit, to persist, and to live in possibility.
College of Nursing to Celebrate National Nurses Week, May 6-12
KNOXVILLE, Tenn., April 29, 2021 – National Nurses Week is coming May 6-12. The University of Tennessee will be celebrating all week long with virtual and in-person events.
Nurses’ week is an annual celebration of nurses worldwide for the work they do for others. The week allows people the chance to acknowledge the nurses in their lives. It also provides an opportunity to thank nurses within the industry as a whole for the work they’ve done.
Nursing, in general, is stressful and COVID-19 only amplifies that. Therefore, it’s even more critical to use nurses’ week to reach out and celebrate the nurses around you and throughout the world.
This last year tested us. It showed the world that nurses were more important than ever before. In September of 2020, the World Health Organization announced it would extend the Year of the Nurse into 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. As we embark on the second Year of the Nurse, and National Nurses Week we want to honor Vol Nurses and the difference they have made in our community and beyond.
Founded in 1971, the College of Nursing is a leading nursing school in the state of Tennessee. We are catalysts for optimizing health through nurse-led care by integrating education, practice, research, and technology. We define health broadly 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.
More information can be found on Nurses Week events by clicking this link.
Ramsey (’05) with a patient in 2017 shortly after starting The Newborn Nurse
Rachel Ramsey (‘05) never grew 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,” said Ramsey.
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,” said Ramsey. “I love taking care of people, and loved babies so it all just kind of fit together.”
Ramsey was accepted to the University of Tennessee, College of Nursing in 2002.
“I still remember where I was sitting when I opened the acceptance letter from the College of Nursing,” said Ramsey. “I was ecstatic to begin my nursing education at such a prestigious and highly renowned and rated nursing school.”
Ramsey in front of the College of Nursing building.
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,” said Ramsey. “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 the College of Nursing with her Bachelors of Science in Nursing 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 those hospital doors with their newborn.
Ramsey in the Labor and Delivery unit early during her nursing career.
“As a nurse, you discharge the mom, and walk her to the car with her newborn baby to go home,” said Ramsey. “After years of walking moms out the door, handing them their newborn, and having them cry on my shoulder asking me to come home with them, I knew we had to do something to help them once they got home.”
Little did Ramsey know how full circle her dreams of being in the music business, and helping families care for newborns was about to become.
During Ramsey’s time as an RN in the hospital, she was approached by a friend offering a nanny position for country music star, Jennifer Nettles, of the band Sugarland.
“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 ®, Middle Tennessee’s number one lactation, newborn day and night nurse care company. The goal was simple: to help families more easily transition to life with a newborn baby.
“I googled how to start a business,” said Ramsey. “From the ground up, step-by-step, I built this entire company. It was not easy, but my passion for helping new moms was my driving force.”
Ramsey started The Newborn Nurse in 2017. The Newborn Nurse is Middle Tennessee’s number one lactation, newborn day and night care company.
The Newborn Nurse offers a plethora of services to their clients. The company provides everything from Baby 101 Classes that help instruct parents on how to care for a newborn, to emotional support and household help for the family and even In-Home Overnight RN care.
Ramsey has worked with over 160 families in Nashville and surrounding areas. The company has served a wide range of clients including several celebrity clients such as country music stars Maren Morris, Kane Brown, and Chris Stapleton, and Predators hockey players Roman Josi and Pekka Rinne.
“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.
The Newborn Nurse now employees over 30 nurses, and lactation consultants. The Newborn Nurse team collectively has over 260 years of nursing experience and has cared for over 600,000 babies, in their combined nursing careers.
“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.”
__
Newnam selected as Fellow in the American Association of Nurse Practitioners
Kathy Newnam, associate professor, was selected as a Fellow in the American Association of Nurse Practitioners
Associate Professor Kathy Newnam was one of 38 nurse practitioner leaders selected as a Fellow in the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. Newnam has been with the College of Nursing since 2014.
Her teaching interest includes research, theory, evidence-based practice methods and advanced health assessment. Her vast clinical experience and nationally funded research program provide students specialized training informed by her clinical research and translation to best practices through active dissemination.
Newnam’s scholarly projects include improving respiratory outcomes of the neonate, reducing necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in the fragile infant, improving access to human milk in the neonatal population and the use of purposeful language as a strategy to improve neurodevelopmental outcomes and reduce neonatal stress though hospitalization.
Newnam has a BSN, and MSN from Old Dominion University, and a PhD from Virginia Commonwealth University. She is a board-certified neonatal nurse practitioner and is on staff at the University of Tennessee Medical Center.
She is dual certified as an APN in both pediatrics and neonatal care. She serves on the editorial board as a section editor of Advances in Neonatal Care and has authored or co-authored several contributions in journals and textbooks and has received several awards and honors in her field.
“Dr. Newnam is a top-notch clinician and nurse scientist who is doing ground-breaking research in the area of neonatal care,” said Victoria Niederhauser, dean of the College of Nursing. “This national recognition exemplifies the outstanding contributions that she is making to understanding how best to care for fragile neonates.”
The American Association of Nurse Practitioners recognizes NP leaders who have made outstanding contributions to health care through clinical practice, research, education or policy. Newnam will be inducted as a fellow during a virtual ceremony in June.
____
CONTACT:
Kara Clark (8659749498, [email protected])
2021 Pediatric Pharmacology and Psychopharmacology Update
The 2021 Pediatric Pharmacology and Psychopharmacology Update is provided by the University of Tennessee College of Nursing.
Thursday, March 25
12 P.M. – 3 P.M. EST
Online-Live Webinar
Objectives and more information about event may be found at: tiny.utk.edu/CNE
Alumni Valentine’s Day Spotlight: Working as a Team
Eric Hearn (’18) and Melissa Hearn (’17) pictured with their two children.
Eric (’18) and Melissa Hearn (’18) met at church in 2008. At the time Melissa was a Spanish major at the University of South Alabama. Eric had just returned home from a church mission and was working to figure out his future plans. They fell in love instantaneously and were married the same year. Little did the couple know that their love for each other would lead them both into a rewarding profession that they could share.
During their time in school Eric became a natural in biology. This was the course that inspired him to become a nurse. Melissa, watched his fascination grow, and as she helped him study for his Anatomy and Physiology class she knew she wanted to join him on his journey to become a nurse.
Eric and Melissa completed their Associates of Science in Nursing in 2013. Eric became an ICU nurse while Melissa started working in the ER. Shortly after, they welcomed their first child and started working towards their bachelor’s degrees.
Once they obtained their BSN in 2015 they decided to continue their journey by pursuing a master’s degree at the University of Tennessee, College of Nursing.
”While we had different concentrations, we were able to take some courses like pharmacology together,” said Melissa. “We share fond memories of sitting side-by-side listening to Dr. Farr’s lectures.”
Pursuing a master’s degree as full-time nurses and parents was difficult, but together they powered through the tough times.
“We always worked as a team, studying together late into the night, taking turns with the baby, and picking up comfort food for each other after long days,” said Eric. “Our professional achievements mean so much to us because we shared every step of the way.”
Both Eric and Melissa are now pursuing doctoral degrees, again taking turns with house chores and bedtimes. “We thought about taking turns doing our doctoral degrees, but we know we are capable of more when we work as a team,” said Melissa. “The journey of becoming a nurse, is so much sweeter when shared with those you love.”
Alumni Valentine’s Day Spotlight: Working Well Together
Nate Davis (’07) and Ashley Davis (’07) pictured with their two children.
Ashley (’07) and Nate Davis (’07) were both College of Nursing students when they met in 2005. What started out as a friendship grew into more between the two nurse anesthesia students.
“Nate and I were friends just like most of the other SRNAs in our class. I admired Nate’s integrity, the way he interacted with other people, and absolutely adored him as a friend,” said Ashley. “In addition to a very handsome appearance, his sense of humor and his humility were attractive. As we got to be better friends, I quickly realized we had so much in common. Our outlook and philosophy on life, goals, and work ethic were similar.”
Ashley and Nate were two out of 12 students that were in the SRNA cohort. The SRNA students got to know each other well due to the long hours required during the anesthesia program.
“I remember Thanksgiving Day in 2006 I was the SRNA on day call and Ashley was the SRNA on night call. It was a very busy trauma day that day and I had worked straight through the entire day. Ashley came in that evening to relieve me. I remember her coming into the big trauma case I was working and I was so happy to see her,” said Nate. “I was happy to see her because she was my friend and we were able to catch up while I gave report. I was happy to see her because I knew this was going to be a challenging case and she was very smart and would do an awesome job in a stressful situation.”
Working together is all the couple has ever known. They were classmates working together in both didactic and clinical settings, and they transitioned together as colleagues following graduation.
In 2012 Ashley and Nate started Advanced Anesthesia Solutions, Inc. a company that manages clients anesthesia needs.
“There are days that we eat, sleep, and work side-by-side,” said Ashley. In 2017, they became business partners on a second endeavor- a boutique fitness studio.
Ashley and Nate’s anesthesia business has more than tripled in size since 2012 and their boutique fitness studio is opening a second location in 2021. “So many good things in my life have come from his love, encouragement and support,” said Ashley. “We have been together as a couple since 2007 and my love and admiration for him have only grown stronger. We work well together.”
