Nursing AHEAD cohort (from left) Claire Schofield, Abby Walsh, Chloe Bridge, Lauren Roberts, Evan Exum, Delaney Rankin and Taylor Dalton.
A version of this story first appeared in the 2024 issue of On Call, a publication of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga School of Nursing.
The nursing program at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is taking bold steps to prepare nursing students for careers outside traditional hospital walls.
Through the AHEAD-RN traineeship led by Dr. Brooke Epperson, associate director of the School of Nursing and the undergraduate program coordinator, eight nursing students are diving into the realities of rural health care. They’re learning that providing quality care in these communities isn’t just about medical skills—it’s about adaptability, cultural sensitivity and resourcefulness in environments where health care access can be severely limited.
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The AHEAD-RN traineeship operates in partnership with many of Dr. Kristi Wick’s rural initiatives that deliver health care directly to underserved populations in the region.
“One of the biggest challenges in rural health care education is access to hands-on experiences in these communities,” Epperson says. “With Dr. Wick’s (upcoming) Mobile Health Unit, our students (will) gain real-world exposure to the communities they’ll serve, preparing them to support sustainable, community-based health care.”
Training beyond the classroom
Epperson’s traineeship zeroes in on three primary underserved groups: older adults, individuals experiencing homelessness and those with mental health needs. Through simulation and direct experience, students are learning to navigate the complex needs of these populations—skills they’ll rely on in rural health care roles.
Each trainee completes simulations on communication and barriers to care, which is vital for interacting with patients facing unique health challenges. This training includes end-of-life and palliative care, areas where demand often outpaces available services in rural settings. Nursing students in the program also participate in health fairs, offering basic health services and screenings to residents who may not otherwise receive regular checkups.
“We emphasize the impact of social determinants of health,” says Epperson. “By focusing on factors like access to care, education, environment and housing, we prepare our students to consider how these elements affect health outcomes on a local and national level. For many students, understanding these real-world implications fuels their desire to work in community health.”
Hands-on community partnership
AHEAD-RN isn’t just a classroom experience. Through partnerships with local health care facilities like Parkridge Valley Hospital and Welcome Home, the program brings community needs directly into student training, grounding their education in real-world experience.
Students will soon take this training a step further by traveling to rural communities, where they will provide essential health care services that are often hard to access. In doing so, they not only assist in delivering care but also gain a firsthand understanding of the unique challenges rural populations face.
“Unless you see those barriers firsthand, it’s hard to understand,” Epperson says. “But when you’re in the community, meeting people where they are, you gain a new perspective on the urgency of accessible care.”
Tracking impact and building sustainable health care
Epperson collects both qualitative and quantitative data. Trainees reflect on their experiences and complete surveys after each clinical rotation and simulation. UTC will also track post-graduation employment to measure how many trainees choose careers in medically underserved areas.
“Our goal is for students to understand that health care starts in the community,” Epperson says.
But her work isn’t just about expanding students’ skill sets. It’s about creating a pipeline of health care providers prepared to make a difference in rural settings. By building a foundation in culturally sensitive, community-based care, AHEAD-RN ensures that UTC students are ready to step into the roles that will sustain health care access in underserved areas for years to come.
Shaping tomorrow’s health care providers
Feedback from students has already begun to shape AHEAD-RN. Epperson notes that trainees report feeling a renewed sense of purpose after seeing the real difference they can make in the community.
“The students enjoy being out in the community, knowing they’re contributing to someone’s health journey,” she says. “Our presence in these areas reinforces the idea that nursing is about more than just the hospital—it’s about building health from the ground up.”
As UTC’s School of Nursing broadens its focus to include rural health care, programs like AHEAD-RN are laying the foundation for a generation of nurses who see community health as central to their profession. Through their work with the mobile health unit and regional partnerships, Epperson’s students are learning to embrace the challenges of rural health care with compassion, skill and a commitment to lasting change.
“When students are out in the community, they see they’re not just learning skills—they’re making a real difference,” she says. “It’s a powerful realization that health care can, and should, reach every corner of the community.”
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