News-home

Alumnus Ken Nelson, DNP'13, MSN'11, was featured on CBS station WFRV in Green Bay reassuring viewers that the health system is prepared if there were cases of coronavirus, but that the flu is having a much greater impact. Nelson is the chief nursing officer for HSHS St. Vincent and St. Mary’s hospitals in the northeast Wisconsin area and is a member of the alumni board for Vanderbilt School of Nursing. Read More

When Tonda Hughes, PhD, RN, FAAN, began researching lesbian health in the early 1990s, her advisors were skeptical and discouraging. They were concerned that she wouldn’t get her papers published or be . . . . View the lecture Read More

Black History Month is an annual celebration during the month of February highlighting the contributions and achievements of African Americans. The observance was begun by Dr. Carter G. Woodson in 1926 to recognize the roles of African Americans throughout U.S. history. In 1986, Congress designated February as Black History Month. Read More

Assistant Professor Marci Zsamboky, DNP’18, RN, PMHNP/CNS-BC, CNE, has been named academic director of the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (Lifespan) specialty at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing. The Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner specialty is one of the school’s most competitive programs and is… Read More

Nursing remains the most trusted profession in the United States, with 85% of people rating nurses as having very high or high levels of honesty and ethics. That’s according to a poll just released by Gallup, who asked U.S. adults to assess the honesty and ethics of… Read More

A new Nashville Public Television documentary, Companionship & Intimacy: Aging Matters, explores the benefits and challenges of developing relationships as we age—with help from Vanderbilt University School of Nursing faculty, students and alumni. VUSN Assistant Professor Carrie Plummer, PhD, MSN’05, is one of the experts appearing in the documentary. Read More

Instructor of Nursing Kanah Lewallen, DNP, MSN’09, has been recognized by two national organizations for excellence in gerontological nursing education. The Gerontological Advanced Practice Nurses Association awarded Lewallen its Excellence in Education Award during its annual conference in July. The honor recognizes Lewallen for her teaching… Read More

Catherine Ivory, PhD’11, assistant professor of Nursing, has been named senior director of Nursing Research at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. For Ivory, it’s a homecoming. Her passion for obstetrics nursing and a lifelong interest in technology led her to Vanderbilt University School of Nursing for her PhD and then a… Read More

Ruth Kleinpell, PhD, RN, FAAN, FAANP, FCCM, the Independence Foundation Professor of Nursing Education, has been elected to leadership roles with three key health care organizations. Kleinpell, who also serves as the school’s assistant dean for clinical scholarship, is an international authority on advanced practice nursing, outcomes… Read More

Vanderbilt University School of Nursing announced the following faculty promotions:  Laurie Connors, DNP, FAANP, and Mary Ann Jessee, PhD, MSN’95, have been promoted from assistant professor to associate professor. Shannon Cole, DNP, MSN’94;… Read More

U.S. Army combat veteran Mandi Mizner has devoted her life to serving her country and others. Following tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, she is continuing her mission of service through the advanced practice nursing program at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing. She spoke to Vanderbilt Video about her path to Vanderbilt and being a Bass Military Scholar. Read More

Corporate executives, chief nursing officers, entrepreneurs, nursing school deans, alumni and community representatives are among the leaders sharing their expertise on a new advisory board for Vanderbilt University School of Nursing. Dean Linda D. Norman, DSN, FAAN, announced the formation of the board during the school’s… Read More

  Betsy Weiner, PhD, FACMI, FAAN, Senior Associate Dean for Informatics at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, was honored by the Friends of the National Library of Medicine with its Nursing Informatics award during the organization’s recent 2019 Annual Awards Dinner in Washington,… Read More

Pam Orebaugh Jones, DNP’13, MSN’92, BSN’81; April Kapu, DNP’13, MSN’05; and Jennifer Ezell Wilbeck, DNP, PMC’06, MSN’99; were inducted as fellows of the American Academy of Nursing on October 26. The formal event took place during the Academy’s annual policy conference in Washington,… Read More

Early in his career, as Assistant Professor of Nursing Mulubrhan Mogos cared for fragile babies in a neonatal ICU, he questioned whether the mother’s experience during pregnancy and delivery could provide clues to what went wrong, setting him on a path to study the long-term impact of cardiovascular disease on mothers and babies. Read More

In a recent interview with HealthTech Magazine, Patricia Sengtack, VUSN Director, Nursing Informatics Specialty, warned against purchasing new tech equipment without consulting the nurses who will use it. Sengstack also discussed how nurses and other staff should be part of tech equipment purchasing decisions that can directly affect their work. Read More

by Matt Batcheldor Susie Adams, PhD, FAANP, FAAN, professor of Nursing at the Vanderbilt University School of Nursing has been named 2019 Psychiatric Nurse of the Year by the American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA). The award will be presented Oct. 2… Read More

An interdisciplinary group of Vanderbilt researchers is launching a pilot study regarding the effect of live music on patients, families and staff in the VUMC adult intensive care unit and is inviting musical members of the Vanderbilt community to help. The pilot study, Therapeutic Music in the Intensive… Read More

Twelve faculty and alumni of Vanderbilt University School of Nursing have been named fellows by the American Academy of Nursing (AAN), American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) and American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM). Faculty members Pam Orebaugh Jones, DNP’13, MSN’92, BSN’81; April Kapu, DNP’13,… Read More

Six early career Vanderbilt University School of Nursing faculty members have been named to the Center for Teaching Junior Faculty Fellows program at Vanderbilt University. Instructors Misty Evans, MSN’11; Clint Leonard, MSN’14; Jennifer Ridgway, DNP’17, MSN’14;… Read More

Vanderbilt University School of Nursing has received two awards totaling more than $5 million from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to increase the number of nurse practitioners (NP) working in rural and underserved communities where there aren’t enough primary care… Read More

Excellence and accomplishment were the focus of pinning and recognition ceremonies held by Vanderbilt University School of Nursing on Sunday, Aug. 4. The school recognized the successful completion of programs by 373 Master of Science in Nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and Post-Master’s Certificate (PMC) students. The MSN… Read More

The National League for Nursing has named Vanderbilt University School of Nursing an NLN Center of Excellence in recognition of its high standards of educational excellence and visionary leadership. The NLN is the nation’s foremost organization for nursing faculty and leaders in nursing education. Designation as a… Read More

Vanderbilt University School of Nursing Professor Emerita Joyce Laben has died. A celebration of her life was celebrated on Wednesay, July 10, at Harpeth Hills Memory Gardens Funeral Home, 9090 TN-100, Nashville, TN 37221. Read her obituary in The Tennessean. Read More

VUSN Alumna, Chelsia Harris (FNP 2008), was recently named executive director of Lipscomb University School of Nursing. Dr. Harris commented “Nursing is a divine calling. I am passionate about serving people through the profession, and leading our next generation in providing high-quality compassionate care.” Photo: Lipscomb University… Read More

The atrium in the new $23.6 million Vanderbilt University School of Nursing building has been named after former dean Colleen Conway-Welch, PhD, FAAN, FACNM, who served as dean for 29 years and is credited with transforming nursing education at Vanderbilt and nationally. The… Read More

VUSN alumna Ellen Martin, BSN’69, received the Dorothea M. Lang Pioneer Award and VUSN Instructor in Nursing Tonia L. Moore-Davis received the Teaching Excellence Award recently from the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) and the A.C.N.M. Foundation, Inc. Read More

Just in time for Pride Month, VUSN’s LGBTQ+ student organization has announced a new name, logo and leadership. VUSNPride is dedicated to fostering social engagement, networking and sense of belonging for LGBTQ+ students and allies. It provides support and mentorship for VUSN students and applicants, while striving… Read More

Assistant Professor Cathy Maxwell, PhD, FAAN, Associate Professor Shelagh Mulvaney, PhD, and Assistant Professor Bethany Rhoten, PhD, have been named the Vanderbilt University School of Nursing’s first Valere Potter Distinguished Dean's Faculty Fellows. The new program supports tenure-track faculty in their research and scholarship. The designation includes funding for two fiscal years and is part of an overall Vanderbilt University initiative to expand support for faculty throughout their careers. Read More

Associate Professor Terrah Akard, PhD, FAAN, has been selected for the 2019 cohort of Chancellor Faculty Fellows, a group of highly accomplished, recently tenured Vanderbilt University faculty from a wide variety of disciplines and areas of expertise. Read More

Dean Linda D. Norman, DSN, FAAN, told the Vanderbilt University School of Nursing’s 2019 graduating class that she is optimistic about the future of health care because of them. “You are the answer to society’s health care challenges,” she said. “Not just because you are needed… Read More

Julia Phillippi, PhD, CNM, FACNM, FAAN, assistant professor of nursing, has been named academic director of the Nurse-Midwifery program at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing. She will also co-direct the Nurse-Midwifery/Family Nurse Practitioner dual-focus specialty with FNP Academic Director Courtney Pitts,… Read More

Bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS) is better than a tape measure for assessing a woman’s risk for developing lymphedema after breast cancer surgery, according to interim results of a study led by Sheila Ridner, PhD, RN, Martha Ingram Professor and director of the PhD in Nursing Science Program at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing. Read More

Sheila Ridner, PhD, RN, FAAN, Martha Rivers Ingram Professor and director of the Vanderbilt School of Nursing’s PhD in Nursing Science Program, has been named a 2019 American Cancer Society ResearcHERS Ambassador. In this role, Ridner is advocating for her fellow women researchers… Read More

Vanderbilt University School of Nursing faculty have recently been recognized for career accomplishments, research, scholarship and leadership. They include: Ruth Kleinpell, PhD, FAANP, FAAN, the Independence Foundation Professor of Nursing Education and Assistant Dean for Clinical Scholarship, has received the Society of Critical Care Medicine’s 2019 Distinguished… Read More

A group of KIPP Kirkpatrick Elementary School students are running back and forth between adults holding a green circle, yellow circle and red circle. The adults are graduate nursing students from the Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, and they’re quizzing the KIPPsters on their newfound knowledge about asthma. This is the second year students have run the Green Means Go program at KIPP Kirkpatrick as part of the Community Health Course at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing. More Read More

Two senior living residents sat facing a large screen, controlling a video game with wrist devices. Every so often, a squat little robot near them would remind them of the object of the game: Get your avatar’s books into the right bin, and earn extra points by helping the other player. The game isn't about robots or books. It’s about getting seniors in the early stages of dementia out of their rooms, moving their bodies and, most important, working together. Isolation is a contributor to dementia’s progression, and this robot-guided video game may be an effective, low-cost solution for caregivers. Vanderbilt University’s Nilanjan Sarkar, a mechanical engineering professor, Linda Beuscher, an assistant professor in the School of Nursing, and their team recently finished testing the game in two nursing homes. More Read More

Heath Kohlmeier, MSN'18, received his first hug from a patient Tuesday, a small testament to the relationships he hopes to build with patients in his new role as a nurse practitioner at Tulip Tree Family Health Care. "One of my patients told me that I reminded her of her son. We just had a good interaction in the room there," Kohlmeier, an FNP, said. "She asked if she could give me a hug at the end. It was a small victory within me, I feel like that's one of those signs you've reached out to that patient, that you've built that connection and can start going from there." Read More

Ascension has named Amy Wilson, MSN, BSN, RN, as its Senior Vice President, Clinical Operations, effective March 11. Wilson is a current VUSN student in the Executive Leadership track of its Doctor of Nursing Practice program. Read More

Remarks by Dean Linda Norman during awarding of Commodore Award to Vanderbilt School of Nursing's Dennis Spann ... Read More

Vanderbilt University School of Nursing recently held a three-day clinical immersion to launch its Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) education program for advanced practice nursing students, part of a $1.43 million grant from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners are specifically trained to help victims of sexual assault, collect evidence and testify. HRSA has an initiative to increase their number nationwide and reduce the need for individuals seeking help to travel to find someone with SANE training. Read More

Nine nurses from Vanderbilt University School of Nursing and Vanderbilt University Medical Center recently received top honors at the March of Dimes Tennessee Chapter Nurse of the Year Awards. Read More

Senior Associate Dean for Academics Mavis Schorn, PhD, CNM, FACNM, FAAN, has been named a Distinguished Fellow of the National Academies of Practice (NAP) in Nursing. Schorn was selected in recognition of her leadership and achievements in nursing, education and research. She has served as senior associate… Read More

Vanderbilt University School of Nursing celebrated the opening of its new $23.6 million building expansion with a ribbon cutting and grand opening event on Jan. 22. The expansion, which broke ground in June 2017, features a state-of-the-art simulation lab, technologically advanced classrooms and student services offices. Read More

The new School of Nursing building has the well-being of its occupants at the heart of its design, construction and operation. Take an interactive tour of the building's wellness features. Read More

Health and well-being inform every part of Vanderbilt University School of Nursing’s new $23.6 million building expansion, opening Jan. 22. The expansion, which broke ground in 2017, was designed to target LEED Gold and WELL Silver certification. Once the certification process concludes, the university anticipates that this building will be the first… Read More

Faculty and students in the Vanderbilt University School of Nursing have recently been recognized for these career, research, scholarship and leadership accomplishments. The National Hartford Center of Gerontological Nursing Excellence named Assistant Professor Jennifer Kim, DNP, MSN’97, GNP-BC, FNAP, FAANP, a distinguished educator in gerontological nursing. She… Read More

Colleen Conway-Welch, Ph.D., C.N.M., F.A.A.N., F.A.C.N.M., who during her 29 years as dean of the Vanderbilt University School of Nursing transformed nursing education at Vanderbilt and nationally, died Oct. 12 following a courageous battle with cancer. “Colleen Conway-Welch was a prescient leader at Vanderbilt who had a tremendous… Read More

An article written by Vanderbilt University School of Nursing Assistant Professor and PreSpecialty Level Academic Director Mary Ann Jessee, PhD, RN, has won the Christine A. Tanner Scholarly Teaching Award given by the Journal of Nursing Education. Jessee’s article, “Pursuing Improvement in Clinical… Read More

A memorial service for Virginia Maxwell George, BSN’47, MS’72, CFNC,  will be Monday, Oct. 8, at the School of Nursing. The memorial in celebration of her life will be at 4:30 p.m. in the Nursing Annex, Room 155. Attendees are encouraged to bring photographs or remembrances to… Read More