Neal Named Assistant Dean of Graduate Programs

Allyson Matney Neal has been selected as the assistant dean of graduate programs effective July 1. Neal joined the College of Nursing in May 2019.

Neal previously served as a clinical assistant professor and coordinator of the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Program (PMHNP) at the University of Tennessee, College of Nursing.

“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.”

The assistant dean of graduate programs is the college’s chief officer for graduate program matters. This position provides leadership to graduate students, faculty, and staff. This position monitors and ensures consistent implementation of all college, graduate school, and university policies related to graduate programs. This position works to coordinate the admissions process and ensure all accreditation standards are being met.

“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,” says Victoria Niederhauser, dean of the college. “Additionally, Dr. Neal is involved in key national organizations that provide her with first-hand 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.

Neal is an active member of several professional organizations including the American Psychiatric Nurses Association, Sigma Theta Tau, American Nurses Association, and Tennessee Nurses Association. Additionally, she holds national appointments as a member of 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 earned her DNP as a PMHNP from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, MSN as a PNP from Emory University, BSN from the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, and an ADN from East Tennessee State University.

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CONTACT:

Kara Clark (865-9749498, kmclark2@utk.edu)

Knoxville Community Development Corporation, College of Nursing Partner to Receive Grant Funding from Trinity Health Foundation of East Tennessee.

Knoxville Community Development Corporation in close collaboration with The University of Tennessee, College of Nursing has received a grant that will support the expansion of services to the adult population at Guy B. Love Towers.

The grant is funded by Trinity Health Foundation of East Tennessee.

“The College of Nursing is excited to partner with KCDC to provide primary health care services to the residents of Guy B. Love Towers,” said Nan Gaylord, associate dean of practice and global affairs. “Other KCDC residents may also be provided care as the community partnership develops, grows, and becomes sustainable over time. It is important that the university, faculty, and students, be involved in addressing needs in our community while teaching and learning.”

The College of Nursing’s successful innovative model of healthcare delivery is a cost-effective and creative solution that helps to remove barriers to health care access by being present in the community.

College of Nursing advanced practice registered nurse faculty will deliver primary care at Guy B. Love Towers.

Guy B. Love Towers is a high-rise property with two seven-story apartment buildings. The building provides a safe, comfortable community for seniors, disabled, and near-elderly individuals. The identified needs of the resident population are primary care services that identify chronic diseases early and intervene with evidence-based interventions for diagnosed chronic diseases. Other primary care services include addressing healthy lifestyles to prevent physical and emotional conditions causing illness and disability.

However, the health care needs of residents at Love Towers are complicated. Residents frequently miss primary care appoints due to lack of transportation, and instead use emergency medical services for care.

The Phase II grant funds, if awarded, will support two years of primary health care services at the Love Towers.

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CONTACT:

Kara Clark (865-9749498, kmclark2@utk.edu)

Nursing Track Added to ProjectGRAD Summer Institute

The University of Tennessee, College of Nursing has introduced a nursing track for the ProjectGRAD Summer Institute.

ProjectGRAD works to increase the high school graduation rate and increase the rate of postsecondary enrollment and graduation. ProjectGRAD works with Austin-East Magnet High School and Fulton High School to provide resources and support for students to secure a brighter future.

The ProjectGRAD Summer Institute began in 2001 as a collaboration between the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and ProjectGRAD. The institute, a week-long residential program, exposes students to academic expectations of college, and the personal dimensions needed to succeed in higher education settings.

There are eight academic tracks within the Summer Institute. A track is an introduction to a particular discipline, major, or career path, and students select their track based on their current career aspirations.

Kimberly Brown, clinical assistant professor and director of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and Marcia McAllister-Spurgeon, clinical nursing faculty, developed the curriculum for the nursing track and will serve as the instructors for the nursing track.

“For me, ProjectGRAD nursing track is an opportunity for us at the College of Nursing to inform students of the options and opportunities available in the nursing profession, and also provide them with a taste of nursing,” said McAllister- Spurgeon.

Students will begin the ProjectGRAD Summer Institute in June. The classes will help to introduce students to the basics of their chosen track.

“The first exposure to nursing is an important step in career development. Our goal is to accurately portray nursing so that students have the correct information when choosing nursing as a career,” said Brown.

Out of 115 scholars that will be participating in the Summer Institute 25 percent of them have requested nursing as their first choice of academic tracks.

“The immersive environment we are creating will help the scholars to see themselves in the role of a nurse. We want them to imagine themselves in the space, and work towards it,” said McAllister-Spurgeon. “The hands-on experiences will also provide them with life skills they will use even if they decided nursing is not for them. We are excited to be a part of this program and look forward to ongoing collaboration between the College of Nursing and the ProjectGRAD initiative.”

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CONTACT:

Kara Clark (865-9749498, kmclark2@utk.edu)

Brown Selected as Inaugural Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion

Kim Brown, clinical assistant professor, at the University of Tennessee College of Nursing has been named the inaugural director of diversity, equity, and inclusion. This became effective on May 15.

Brown is a first-generation African American college graduate from a rural community in East Tennessee. Brown is a leader in the College of Nursing and demonstrates success in implementing DEI-focused initiatives in numerous courses 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,” said Brown.

Brown views the opportunity of the director role as 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 Victoria Niederhauser, dean of the college. “Brown’s experience as a nurse leader, an excellent educator, and her most recent work on the college’s diversity action plan, provides her with key attributes to be successful in leading our efforts in this important area.”

Brown previously served as the chair of the undergraduate student affairs committee, and chair-elect for the diversity advisory council at the college. Brown was recently chosen by the National League for Nursing for the LEAD program. LEAD is designed for nurses in education and practice who have recently been challenged with the rapid transition into leadership positions, those in leadership positions who desire a formal leadership program, and those emerging and aspiring to lead.

Brown received her BSN from the University of Tennessee Knoxville, her MSN from King University, and her DNP with a specialization in Administration from the University of Tennessee Chattanooga.

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CONTACT:

Kara Clark (865-9749498, kmclark2@utk.edu)

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.

CONTACT:

Kara Clark (865-974-9498, kmclark2@utk.edu)

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.”

CONTACT:

Kara Clark (865-974-9498, kmclark2@utk.edu)

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”

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CONTACT:

Kara Clark (865-974-9498, kmclark2@utk.edu)

Nursing Honors Students Participate in Catalyst

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.

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CONTACT:
Kara Clark (865-974-9498, kmclark2@utk.edu)

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.

CONTACT:
Kara Clark (865-974-9498, kmclark2@utk.edu)

Nurses Week Infographic_V2

Nurses Week Feature, A Baby Story

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.”
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CONTACT:
Kara Clark (865-974-9498, kmclark2@utk.edu)