The Hamilton County Jail and Detention Center now serves as an unconventional classroom for nursing students at UTC. Now in its fourth semester, this jail rotation is a crucial component of the community nursing course—the result of a partnership between the School of Nursing and the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office. Small groups of students assist the jail’s clinical staff with health assessments, vital signs and lab work, gaining insights that extend beyond nursing basics.
UTC’s MobileMOC hitting the road to serve rural communities
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s School of Nursing is set to unveil MobileMOC, a mobile outreach health clinic designed to expand health care access for older adults and caregivers in rural Southeast Tennessee.
Critical moments, confident leaders: UTC paving the way in CRNA education
In surgery, it’s not just the surgeon’s hands that matter. As patients “go under,” the nurse anesthetist takes command, managing the delicate line between unconsciousness and stability. At UTC, CRNA expertise is cultivated with care, preparing future nurse anesthetists to handle operating room pressures with confidence and skill.
UTC, SETAAAD partner to bring vital health programs to Southeast Tennessee seniors
UTC is expanding its reach in Southeast Tennessee by partnering with the Southeast Tennessee Area Agency on Aging and Disability (SETAAAD) to bring evidence-based programs to senior centers across a 10-county region—Bledsoe, Bradley, Grundy, Hamilton, Marion, McMinn, Meigs, Polk, Rhea and Sequatchie. The UTC interprofessional initiative is being spearheaded by Dr. Kristi Wick (Nursing), Dr. Erin Melhorn (Occupational Therapy) and Dr. Cathy Scott (Social Work).
Season’s greetings: A year’s worth of UTC highlights
With more than 370 stories published in the UTC Newsroom during the 2024 calendar year, it’s easy to say that a lot of good things happened for UTC students, faculty and staff this year. Picking out the top highlights—not so easy. Here are some of our favorites.
On a mission: First DNP nurse anesthesia cohort prepares to graduate
On Friday, Dec. 13, the first cohort of UTC’s DNP Nurse Anesthesia program will graduate. Transitioning from a master’s-level degree to a DNP in 2022, the program prepares graduates to begin working immediately as Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs).
UTC’s Dorothy and Jim Kennedy Health Sciences Building breaks ground
The future home of UTC’s School of Nursing, the Dorothy and Jim Kennedy Health Sciences Building, broke ground on Monday, Nov. 4. Located at the corner of Palmetto and East 3rd streets, this new building will be approximately 90,000 square feet with state-of-the-art classrooms and a cutting-edge simulation lab. The new facility will also allow for a 152% enrollment increase in the School of Nursing, which currently accepts approximately 50% of applicants and turns down eligible students due to space and class size limitations.
UTC’s Megan McKnight honored by White House for leadership in opioid overdose prevention
On Tuesday, Oct. 8, UTC Center for Wellbeing Director Megan McKnight was invited to a Washington, D.C., summit hosted by the White House Domestic Policy Council (DPC) and the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). The White House Challenge to Save Lives from Overdose event honored McKnight and nearly 250 other stakeholders for expanding access to lifesaving opioid overdose reversal medication and reducing preventable drug overdose deaths.
UTC’s May nursing graduates achieve 100% pass rate on licensure exam
Every May 2024 University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Bachelor of Science in Nursing graduate has passed the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) on the first attempt, fulfilling the requirement for licensure as a registered nurse.
From field to future: UTC students learn real-world lessons from NFL player’s cardiac emergency
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is using real-life experiences to prepare its students for their future careers. A near NFL tragedy that unfolded during a national TV broadcast has been turned into a learning experience to educate and inspire the next generation of UTC health care workers, dietitians, athletic trainers, physical therapists, occupational therapists…