VUSN

Brent Dunworth, DNP, MBA, CRNA, NEA-BC, FAANA, joined Vanderbilt University School of Nursing on Nov. 1 as director of its new nurse anesthesia program, slated to launch in 2026. He has a joint appointment as VUSN associate professor of nursing and with the School of Medicine as associate professor of clinical anesthesiology. Read More

Vanderbilt University School of Nursing Assistant Dean, PhD in Nursing Science Angela McNelis, PhD, RN, FAAN, ANEF, CNE, was awarded the Mary Adelaide Nutting Award as part of the 2024 National League for Nursing Awards. The award is given to an individual who demonstrates outstanding teaching, contributes as a leader in nursing education, encourages creative interactions with students from diverse backgrounds, mentors and serves as a role model for junior faculty, and publishes scholarly works that advance nursing education. Read More

The Vanderbilt University School of Nursing has been awarded a $1.5 million grant to grow its effective sexual assault nurse examiner education program. Read More

Vanderbilt University School of Nursing Associate Dean for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Rolanda Johnson and Vanderbilt University Medical Center Senior Director, Nurse Diversity and Inclusion, Mamie Williams were awarded a $25,000 grant for their project that expands programs focused on the diversification of the nursing workforce, increasing the retention of diverse nurse leaders, and promoting cultural awareness and sensitivity within nurse work environments. Read More

Vanderbilt School of Nursing Associate Professor Deonni Stolldorf, PhD, RN, has been named a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, one of the most prestigious honors in nursing. Fellows are selected based on their contributions and impact to advance the public’s health. Read More

Rolanda Johnson and Michael Gooch were recently honored for their contributions to nursing with fellow designations. Read More

Three Vanderbilt University School of Nursing faculty members won awards at the American College of Nurse Midwives annual awards celebration in May 2024. Read More

WATCH: Hear how Bass Military Scholar Vanessa Morales is harnessing her personal experiences to make her a more compassionate nurse midwife. Read More

The Vanderbilt University School of Nursing was awarded a Health Resources and Services Administration Bureau of Health Workforce grant to create its new Nurse Education, Practice, Quality and Retention Simulation Education Training Program.  Read More

Boosting its commitment to underrepresented nursing leaders, Vanderbilt University School of Nursing has secured a grant from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation for its innovative leadership program, Academy for Diverse Emerging Nurse Leaders. The academy is a groundbreaking, five-day immersive fellowship specially designed to train nurses from backgrounds that are underrepresented in nursing leadership... Read More

Clinicians need to have a better understanding of the potential impact of patients’ anxiety sensitivity, or “fear of fear,” according to an article published in American Journal of Critical Care. When a patient has anxiety sensitivity, they misinterpret nonthreatening symptoms as threatening, assessing the potential meaning across physical, social or cognitive domains. These “what if” thoughts may trigger a spiral effect, stimulating the nervous system and resulting in stronger sensations and further catastrophic misinterpretations. Read More

Vanderbilt doctor of nursing practice students who hope to become nursing faculty may take advantage of a $1.52 million grant from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration Bureau of Health Workforce, Nurse Faculty Loan Program. Vanderbilt University School of Nursing received the award to support DNP students through the 2023-2024 academic year. Read More

A new partnership with AARP Tennessee and the National Museum of African American Music is allowing the Therapeutic Music in the ICU program led by Vanderbilt School of Nursing Professor Ruth Kleinpell and Vanderbilt University Medical Center Professor Joseph Schlesinger to expand, with outreach to veterans and older adults at long-term care facilities in Middle Tennessee. Read More

Monica Keith, assistant professor of anthropology, recently published insights into the complex factors contributing to maternal hypertension and health disparities. This research sheds light on the alarming rates of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy in the United States, particularly among Black mothers. Read More

For the fourth year in a row, Vanderbilt University School of Nursing has won a Higher Education in Excellence in Diversity Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. The award honors VUSN’s commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion shown through mentorship, education, research and staffing practices. Read More

Vanderbilt University School of Nursing has received a four-year, $2.8 million Health Resources and Services Administration Bureau of Health Workforce grant for a primary care nurse practitioner residency program that will recruit, train and retain primary care providers with a passion for helping rural and underserved communities. Read More

The School of Nursing is participating in a new Vanderbilt University Medical Center initiative funded with a $3.9 million grant to VUMC from the Tennessee Department of Health. The initiative will evaluate innovative models of nursing care that include screening and responding to social drivers of health. It will also consider how to mitigate nursing staff shortages and ensure optimal patient care. Read More

The Vanderbilt University School of Nursing has been named a National League of Nursing Center of Excellence in Nursing Education for its support of faculty pedagogical expertise. Read More

The Tennessee Action Coalition has included a School of Nursing faculty member and a Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt nurse in its 2023 cohort of Tennessee Rising Star Nurse Leaders. VUSN Assistant Professor Monika Schmidt Do, DNP, FACC, and clinical staff leader Cory Smeltzer, RN, were among 25 young Tennessee nurse leaders named rising stars. Read More

Vanderbilt University School of Nursing Associate Professor of Nursing Stephanie DeVane-Johnson, PhD, MSN’97, CNM, FACNM, has been awarded a two-year Diversity Supplement grant from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD). The National Institute of Health (NIH) supplement supports early career researchers of color by providing mentorship, training and career development opportunities... Read More