This is National Nurses Week, and as part of this year’s celebration at UT’s College of Nursing, a faculty member is being honored with the Regional Cooperative for Professional Nurses Week Clinical Excellence Award.
Shelia Swift, assistant dean of undergraduate programs and clinical assistant professor, is this year’s recipient. Before moving into her current role, Swift held various positions and roles within the college, from graduate teaching assistant during her pursuit of a doctoral degree to clinical assistant professor and course coordinator.
Her nominators described her as someone who always strives for excellence with a smile and positive attitude, no matter how challenging a situation may become.
Regional Cooperative for Professional Nurses Week Clinical Excellence Awards are given each year during National Nurses Week to recognize outstanding nurses at colleges, hospitals, and other institutions. The honorees are nominated by their peers.
“It’s also appropriate that this year our commencement ceremony falls during National Nurses Week and on what would have been the 197th birthday of Florence Nightingale, founder of nursing as a modern profession,” College of Nursing Dean Victoria Niederhauser said.
The college’s commencement ceremony will be held 7 p.m. today in Thompson-Boling Arena.
National Nurses Week is devoted to highlighting how registered nurses, who make up the largest segment of workers in the health care profession, are working to improve the industry. From bedside nursing in hospitals and long-term care facilities to the halls of research institutions, state legislatures, and Congress, the depth and breadth of the nursing profession meet the expanding health care needs of American society.
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CONTACT:
Emily Kissel (865-974-2755, ekissel@utk.edu)
Tyra Haag (865-974-5460, tyra.haag@tennessee.edu)