Dan Wolcott, president of Takoma, Dr. Nancy B. Moody, president of Tusculum College, and Chuck Whitfield, president of Laughlin Memorial Hospital, (from left) sign clinical agreements for the college’s new nursing program.
Laughlin and Takoma hospitals signed clinical affiliation agreements on Thursday, January 19, to serve as educational sites for the new Tusculum College Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.
A document signing event was held at the Greeneville campus in the Thomas J. Garland Library, at which presidents of the two hospitals and the president of Tusculum College formally agreed to the partnerships outlined in the document.
In addition, Dr. Lois Ewen, newly hired dean of nursing, was formally introduced.
“This is a very exciting day for Tusculum College, Greeneville, the City of Tusculum and Greene County and a major step forward to provide additional educational opportunities for students of all ages who are either interested in becoming a registered nurse, who are already an RN and want to pursue a BSN, or who have completed a degree and have decided on a career change into nursing,” said Dr. Moody.
“Tusculum College is dedicated to meeting this need in our area, and we are proud to move forward on this effort with community partners such as Laughlin and Takoma hospitals, which are critical to our success.”
Chuck Whitfield, president of Laughlin Hospital and Daniel Wolcott, president of Takoma both commented on their commitment to the college’s nursing program and to excellence in health care for Greene County and the region.
“We are sincerely appreciative to Tusculum College for taking the initiative in getting this program started,” said Whitfield. “The program is going to be a real asset and provide many opportunities for people from this region and beyond.”
“It is a credit to Dr. Moody’s leadership that this program is developing. It is a benefit to patients to have a mix of associate and bachelor’s degree educated nurses. The community will benefit from the enhanced quality of care,” said Wolcott.
The clinical agreements with the hospitals outline the mutual benefits of the provision of clinical experience for students enrolled in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at Tusculum.
Dr. Ewen spoke to the group about the developing program and the importance of community partnerships. She said she was appreciative to arrive and find all the support the program has already garnered from the administration and the community. She told the group that she and others are continuing to build the program through hiring faculty, developing curriculum and the eventual enrollment of students for classes beginning next fall pending approval by the Tennessee Board of Nursing and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
Dr. Ewen comes to Tusculum from Capital Regional Medical Center in Tallahassee, Fla., where she has served as director of education since May. In this role she held the responsibility for designing, implementing, managing and evaluating all nursing and clinical staff professional development programs and educational activities. She also has experience in the higher education field, previously serving as a consultant to the Florida State University College of Nursing and as Dean of Health Care Professions for Tallahassee Community College. She has prior experience with the nursing programs in Tennessee at Dyersburg State Community College and Columbia State Community College, where she served as chair of Health Sciences and director of the nursing.
Dr. Ewen has a Doctorate in Philosophy in curriculum and instruction with an emphasis in adult education and measurement and statistics from the University of South Florida. She holds a Master of Science in Nursing/Nursing Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, both from Barry University.
The college anticipates offering the nursing program to students effective August 2012; however, the proposed degree program is contingent upon the approval of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges and the Tennessee Board of Nursing.