News

Alumna Anna Froelich, MSN'17, is the lead provider in a Suboxone therapy program in Sierra Vista, AZ. Small clinics like hers are making inroads in treating the opioid epidemic in rural America. Read More

Dr. Stephanie Boyd, Hospital Executive of the Aultman Health Foundation, was nominated for the Stark County Twenty under 40 list of business professionals. She commented: What is the best career advice you’ve ever been given? The best career advice came from my parents since my brothers and I were young. The advice… Read More

Dr. Kim Kuebler DNP, APRN, ANP-BC is the Principle Investigator of four collective studies evaluating all levels of nursing education on meeting the complex care needs of the largest, fastest growing and costliest U.S. patient population – those living with … Read More

Stuart Downs, DNP'13, MSN’10, was honored with Atlanta's Executive Nursing Leadership Excellence Award last month at the area's Celebrating Nurses luncheon. The award recognizes a chief nursing officer or chief nursing executive serving in an administrative capacity in a Metro Atlanta hospital who demonstrates advocacy, vision and collaboration to improve patient care and the nursing workplace. Previously chief nursing officer and vice president, Downs is now chief operating officer and vice president of WellStar Atlanta Medical Center. Read More

Kathy Moss. a VUSN alumna, remembers the days when she and her sister spent hours practicing running a doctor’s office. Their dolls and stuffed animals served as patients. Moss was recently honored with a Five Pillar Leader Award from Vanderbilt University Medical Center. VUMC Voice shares her story. Read More

Pam Jones, DNP, NEA-BC, senior associate dean of Clinical and Community Partnerships, received the Rebecca Clark Culpepper Education and Mentorship Award given jointly by Vanderbilt University School of Nursing and Vanderbilt University Medical Center Nursing during VUMC’s annual Nursing Honors awards Friday, May 25. Jones directs… Read More

Shannon Cole, DNP, instructor of Nursing at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, and Melissa Hilmes, MD, assistant professor of Radiology and Radiological Sciences at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, have been named co-directors of the Vanderbilt Program in Interprofessional Learning (VPIL) effective June 1. Read More

Two longtime friends of Vanderbilt University School of Nursing were named honorary VUSN nurses, a leading researcher was recognized for service to faculty and students, and outstanding faculty and staff received school awards during the School of Nursing’s spring Faculty/Staff Assembly May 17. VUSN Dean Linda… Read More

The 2018 Founder’s Medalist for Vanderbilt University School of Nursing is Brenna Gillis, MSN’15, DNP. Gillis, who concluded her DNP work in August 2017, graduated with a 4.0 GPA — her second. Gillis is also an MSN alumna who earned a 4.0 in her master’s studies in 2015. Now a certified psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner, Gillis provides mental health services to children, adolescents and adults in Rutherford County. Read More

Genetics may predispose some heavy drinkers to alcoholic cardiomyopathy (ACM), Spanish researchers found. Mariann Piano, PhD, Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, wrote an accompanying editorial in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.  "There are no specific histological, immunological, or biomarkers for the diagnosis of ACM. A key factor in ruling in ACM is a long-term history of heavy alcohol consumption in the absence of coronary artery disease," Piano wrote. "A number of pathophysiologic mechanisms have been linked to the development of ACM; however, one of the most important unresolved questions has been related to how certain genetic mutations may influence susceptibility to ACM." Read More

The International Nurses Association is pleased to welcome Lindsey S. Cunningham, FNP-BC to their prestigious organization with her upcoming publication in the Worldwide Leaders in Healthcare. Lindsey S. Cunningham is an established Family Nurse Practitioner who continues to provide exceptional care and support to her patients within Fast Pace Urgent… Read More

Last week’s Commencement marked a milestone for the Vanderbilt University School of Nursing when it awarded 73 Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degrees, the greatest number since the program began in 2008. The school also awarded the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree to 326 graduates during the… Read More

Pregnancy, cardiovascular disease and maternal mortality will be the topic when Mulubrhan F. Mogos, PhD, MSc, speaks Monday, June 4, noon-1 p.m., in Nursing Annex room 162 as part of the Vanderbilt University School of Nursing Dean’s Diversity Lecture Series. Mogos will present “Pregnancy: A Window of… Read More

Vanderbilt University School of Nursing (VUSN) recognized graduating Master of Science in Nursing and Doctor of Nursing Practice students during a traditional Pinning ceremony on Thursday, May 10, at Nashville’s Scarritt Bennett Center. Dean Linda D. Norman, DSN, FAAN, the Valere Potter Menefee Professor of… Read More

The shortage is expected to get worse as baby boomers age and the need for health care grows. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing said nursing school enrollment is not growing fast enough to keep up with demand.VUSN Senior Associate Dean Mavis Schorn said the shortage does not just impact… Read More

Carol Etherington, MSN, R.N., FAAN, Vanderbilt University School of Nursing associate professor of nursing, emerita, has been named to the 2018 class of inductees into the Tennessee Health Care Hall of Fame. She will be honored for her health care career, which includes founding the Nashville Preventative Partnership and developing the nation's first police department counseling program in Nashville. Read More

The Vanderbilt University School of Nursing (VUSN) student chapter of Nurses for Sexual and Reproductive Health (NSRH) recently hosted “Trauma-Informed Pelvic Care,” an interactive, live-streamed workshop led by guest speaker Stephanie Tillman, CNM. A nurse-midwife in Chicago, Tillman is also known for her blog, “Feminist Midwife.”… Read More

Rolanda Johnson, PhD’98, associate professor and assistant dean for academics, was honored as a Vanderbilt Pioneer during a portrait unveiling at Vanderbilt’s Bishop Joseph Johnson Black Cultural Center this month. The Vanderbilt Pioneers program salutes women and minorities who were the first in university leadership roles. Johnson was recognized as the first African American to hold a vice-chair position in Vanderbilt’s Faculty Senate and as the first African American assistant dean of academics at VUSN. Striking photographs of the honorees taken by Vanderbilt Professor of Philosophy Lucius Outlaw Jr. can be viewed at the center. Read More

After two years as an arts major, Judy Jackson Lea, BSN’69, set her sights on Vanderbilt University School of Nursing and never looked back. “By the second year I knew I loved maternal/child health with an interest in public health,” she said. Read more Read More

After college Pollion returned to her hometown of East St. Louis, Illinois. She worked at Menard Correctional Center for several years and now works as head nurse practitioner at a practice in St.Louis. Pollion also has a part-time job at bioMérieux where she visits patients at their homes. She does… Read More

Emily Edwards received her bachelor’s degree in nursing in 2002 from Vanderbilt University School of Nursing in Nashville. She completed her master’s degree in nursing through the Health Systems Management Program at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing in 2003. Read More

Asa Radix, MD, MPH, FACP, an internationally recognized medical expert and researcher on the health needs of transgender and LGBTQ people, will give the Vanderbilt University School of Nursing (VUSN) Dean’s Diversity Lecture on Monday, May 7, noon-1 p.m., in VUSN’s Nursing Annex room 155. The lecture, “Transgender Health —… Read More

Natasha McClure is the first Vanderbilt University School of Nursing faculty member selected to head one of Vanderbilt’s residential colleges. The North House in The Martha Rivers Ingram Commons is one of Vanderbilt’s undergraduate residences dedicated to an expanded student living and learning experience. As faculty head of house, Natasha… Read More

When Julie Foss came to Vanderbilt in 1979, she knew exactly where she wanted to work – the Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU). Except for some brief stints in other areas, she has worked in MICU ever since. Foss, MSN'86, RN, NE-BC, retired in February after managing the MICU at Vanderbilt University Adult Hospital for nearly 30 years, a job on a high-stress unit that she never tired of. Read more from VUMC Voice Read More

Dr. Mariann Piano will be inducted into Mother McAuley Liberal Arts Hall of Honor on Sunday, April 22. She has a distinguished career in substance abuse research, focusing on understanding the adverse effects of unhealthy alcohol drinking patterns on the cardiovascular system. Read More

A video created to recruit families for a research study run by Terrah Akard, PhD ‘08, MSN ‘01, RN, FAAN, associate professor in the Vanderbilt University School of Nursing (VUSN), has advanced to the national American Advertising Awards (formerly the ADDYs) competition where it will compete for the… Read More

Vanderbilt University School of Nursing has again been named one of the nation’s “Best Graduate Schools” in the annual U.S. News & World Report rankings. The School of Nursing’s Master of Nursing Science program moved up to No. 14 from No. 15 and its… Read More

No longer are loved ones limited in contact with critically ill patients. More than 5.7 million patients are admitted annually to intensive care units in the U.S. Families’ roles in the intensive care unit have changed dramatically in recent years to a more hands-on approach. “The focus is on open… Read More

Many women are simply unaware that they can seek primary care from a midwife. “Midwives in general are huge patient advocates, and throughout the health care system, they bump into areas where women are not getting their needs met,” Julia Phillippia, CNM and assistant professor at VUSN. Read More

Family Nurse Practitioner Saman Perera, MSN'17, fights health care inequality through Doctors Without Borders. Originally from Hendersonville, Tennessee, Perera recently moved to Knoxville after coming back from a Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) two-month medical mission trip to Bentiu, South Sudan. Read More

A call in the night started a Vanderbilt University Medical Center doctor and a School of Nursing faculty member on a path to romance that's still as strong nearly three decades later. “She was really sweet and 34 years later, she’s still just as sweet,” Bill says. “It was meant to be,” Genie adds. A Valentine's story from VUMC Voice Read More

Vanderbilt School of Nursing MSN students and faculty head to Guatemala to work with a local clinic during spring break in March. Vanderbilt’s student newspaper, the Hustler, features that connection and others between Vanderbilt and Guatemala in an in-depth article. Read More

Two Vanderbilt University School of Nursing (VUSN) professors have been named to endowed chairs, the highest honor Vanderbilt University awards its faculty. Ruth Kleinpell, PhD, FAAN, FAANP, FCCM, received the Independence Foundation Chair in Nursing Education. Kleinpell, an internationally recognized researcher and educator, serves as VUSN’s… Read More

Courtenay Lahey, Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner is a new full-time nurse practitioner at Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital’s Women’s Wellness. Courtenay is nationally certified through the National Certification Corporation. She delivers comprehensive health care to women over 13; Courtenay’s specific interests are adolescent sexual health/education and LARC (long-acting reversible contraception) birth… Read More

Jami Hicks, a pediatric nurse practitioner who recently graduated from VUSN with a Master’s of Science in Nursing joins The Children’s Clinic of Rusk (Tx) in its new, state-of-the-art, 2,500 square foot medical clinic which features a patient friendly reception area, 6 exam rooms, a fully equipped diagnostic lab and nursing… Read More

Zoe Panizzi graduated with a Master’s degree in nursing from the VUSN Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program. Prior to joining FirstHealth, Panizzi worked at a community mental health clinic in Tennessee that provides psychiatric care for underserved populations. During her time in Tennessee, Panizzi treated children, adolescents, adults and… Read More

Elizabeth Ogunnaike, DNP, has recently joined the Southern Coos Health Center in Bandon (Ore.).Ogunnaike graduated from Vanderbilt University in 2009 and 2011; first with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and then with a Master of Science in Nursing, where she became a family nurse practitioner. She recently completed Doctor of… Read More

Alvin D. Jeffery, PhD, RN/APN, was selected by the Alliance for Nursing Informatics (ANI) to participate in the Nursing Informatics Emerging Leaders Program. This exclusive two-year program is designed to develop professionals capable of assuming national leadership positions in informatics-related organizations. Read More

One needn’t be a student to profit from Alicia Georges’ directions on becoming a leader. The soon-to-be volunteer head of AARP outlined a course to leadership that could be used by people in all career stages during her recent Dean’s Diversity Lecture, “Journey to Leadership in Nursing and Beyond:… Read More

The Vanderbilt University School of Nursing recognized Nurse-Midwifery and Doctor of Nursing Practice students with pinning ceremonies that marked the completion of their programs in December. The Nurse-Midwifery students received VUSN nursing pins in accordance with a nursing profession tradition started by Florence… Read More

Catherine Ivory has been named the 2018 recipient of the HIMSS-ANI Nursing Informatics Leadership Award… Read More

Vanderbilt University School of Nursing (VUSN) has adopted a new diversity and inclusion statement that sets out its dedication to the equity, diversity and inclusion of all students, faculty and staff and proclaims its responsibilities as an educational institution to foster and graduate highly educated and culturally sensitive health… Read More

Dog owners take 2,760 more steps per day on average compared to non-owners, which amounts to an additional 23 minutes of moderate exercise. And there are more reasons why having a pet is beneficial for your mind and your body. Read More

One of the top stories from CNN over the holidays featured Vanderbilt University School of Nursing Professor Mary Jo Gilmer and research on the effectiveness of animal-assisted interactions for children with cancer. The story showcased Swoosh, a therapy dog at… Read More

School of Nursing student Steven Welton, RN, will never forget the first baby he delivered. Welton took charge when Elijah Youssef was born unexpectedly in the back seat of his family’s Honda outside Medical Center East last week. Welton is halfway through VUSN’s ASN to MSN program for registered nurses who have associate degrees, but he’d never delivered a baby nor assisted in a delivery. Welton went beyond delivery, however — he actually saved Elijah’s life. Read the whole story in VUMC Voice. Read More

Alicia Georges, EdD, FAAN, a leading nursing advocate and the national volunteer president-elect of 38-million member AARP, will be the first speaker in the Vanderbilt University School of Nursing’s 2018 Dean Diversity Lecture series. She will present “Journey to Leadership in Nursing and Beyond: Insight for Future Nurse Leaders” on… Read More

Ryan E. McNew, CNE, manager of Vanderbilt University School of Nursing’s Frist Nursing Informatics Center (FNIC) Support, has been named the school’s first Divisional Commodore Award recipient. McNew was singled out for excellence and commitment to Vanderbilt’s mission, values and goals. He received the honor during… Read More

Nine nurses from Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) and Vanderbilt University School of Nursing (VUSN) were chosen from among 5,000 nominees nationwide to receive honors from the March of Dimes Tennessee Chapter. Read More

Show your Commodore pride in style with a limited-edition pair of Vanderbilt socks! Make a gift of $35 or more to VUSN by December 31, 2017, and we’ll send you socks! They also make a great gift for the Vanderbilt alumnus, student, faculty or staff member on your list. Get your… Read More

Senior Associate Dean for Rresearch Mariann Piano received the Nancy and Hilliard Travis Chair in Nursing during Vanderbilt University’s endowed chair celebration Nov. 29. An endowed chair is the highest honor that a university can bestow upon its faculty. Pictured, endowed chairs with Provost Susan Wente. Piano is first row, far right. Read More