Eight inducted into Sigma Theta Tai nursing honor society
Brittany Buhlig |
An exciting honor is being granted to eight of Lipscomb’s own.
The Sigma Theta Tai International Society, an honor society for nursing students, recently inducted eight of Lipscomb’s nursing students, who were invited to join after demonstrating excellence in their department and exceptional achievements in their prospective nursing fields.
The eight students inducted into the Sigma Theta Tai International Society include Casie Frederick Adams, Elizabeth Anne Baker, Faye Nicole Barnes, Emma Peery Bishop, Megan Emilee Green, Amanda Michelle Hobdy, Alyson Elizabeth Scott and Tara Nicole Vance.
“For me, it was such an honor to have the privilege of being inducted into the Vanderbilt chapter of Sigma Theta Tau,” says Megan Green, a Lipscomb nursing student. “I am very much looking forward to having the opportunity to use the resources that are available to me through being a member of Sigma Theta Tau in helping me in my career as a nurse and eventually nurse practitioner.”
This honor for these students follows on the heels of the Lipscomb University Nursing department receiving approval by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) for a five year accreditation.
“The panel unanimously voted to recommend our program to the Commission for five years accreditation, the longest period a program can attain initial accreditation,” says W. Craig Bledsoe, Provost of Lipscomb University.
The students join more than 130,000 active members and 469 chapters across the world. The students will have access and exposure to Sigma Theta Tai membership and a network of individuals focused on creating a global community of nurses who lead in using knowledge, scholarship, service and learning to improve the health of the world’s people.
Sigma Theta Tau International was founded in 1922 by six nurses at the IndianaUniversityTraining School for Nurses. From its inception, the honor society has recognized the value of scholarship and excellence in nursing practice. In 1936, the honor society became the first U.S. organization to fund nursing research. Today, the honor society supports these values through its numerous professional development products and services that focus on the core areas of education, leadership, career development, evidence-based nursing, research and scholarship. The mission of the Honor Society is to support the learning, knowledge, and professional development of these nurses committed to making a difference in health worldwide.
In 2007, the Tennessee State Board of Nursing approved a partnership agreement between LipscombUniversity and the Vanderbilt University School of Nursing that allowed Lipscomb to offer a bachelor of science in nursing degree with clinical work provided by Vanderbilt. The program allowed Lipscomb to offer this degree by providing the first five semesters of classroom instruction, and Vanderbilt provides the last three semesters of clinical studies.
“We feel very confident in the decision of the Evaluation Review Panel and we have to thank the students and faculty who have worked very hard to make this program and accreditation successful,” says Bledsoe.
The Lipscomb/Vanderbilt Nursing Partnership at Lipscomb University, which started in the fall of 2004, combines the best of two institutions nationally recognized for excellence — Lipscomb's health sciences program and the Vanderbilt University School of Nursing. Students have the added value of studying in Lipscomb's Christian context and VUSN's professional and clinical courses. In May 2008, Lipscomb graduated its second nursing class of 31 nurses. Of these May graduates, 99 percent passed their licensure exam on the first try and are now registered with the Tennessee Board of Nursing. The program currently enrolls more than 200 nursing students.
For more information about the Nursing Program at Lipscomb and Sigma Theta Tai International Society, go to http://nursing.lipscomb.edu or call 615.966.6650.