ATLANTA – The Center for Health and Learning, a partnership between Mercer University and Piedmont Healthcare, will host a nursing conference entitled “Every Nurse Can Be A Research Nurse” on Friday, March 30, at the Gwinnett Center in Duluth, Ga. Participants will hear from noted speakers Ora L. Strickland, Ph.D., DSc (Hon.), R.N., FAAN and a panel of clinicians who will discuss research related to nursing practice, education, and research.
The conference, sponsored by Piedmont Healthcare and Georgia Baptist College of Nursing of Mercer University will take place from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m, and the cost is $90. Piedmont and Mercer faculty, staff and students will receive a discount. For more information, please contact Judy Mosteller at (678) 547-6793 or mosteller_j@mercer.edu. More information is also available on the Mercer web site at: http://www2.mercer.edu/Nursing/Events/Research+Conference.htm.
Dr. Strickland is an internationally known specialist in nursing research, measurement, evaluation, maternal and child health and parenting. She is on the faculty at Emory University School of Nursing with teaching activities focusing on measurement, research design, and research applications through doctoral student mentorship. Dr. Strickland’s research focuses on measurement as well as prenatal health, women’s health and minority health issues with an emphasis on the psychosocial and biophysiological outcomes during life transitions. She has been featured in numerous articles and on over 1,200 radio stations internationally.
Panels of additional researchers have been selected for presentation, as well. Panel speakers include: Timothy McNeill, Director of Nursing and Patient Care Services at Oakhurst Medical Center, Nancy Cunningham, Kidney/Pancreas Transplant Coordinator at Piedmont Hospital, Mary Hudgins, Faculty at Georgia Baptist College of Nursing, Monica Nelson, MSN Student at Georgia Baptist College of Nursing of Mercer University, Althea Palomino, Clinical Coordinator for PACU at Northside Hospital, and Dr. Diane White, Faculty at Georgia Baptist College of Nursing.
In June 2005, Piedmont Healthcare and Mercer University announced a partnership that will create a number of joint initiatives, including nursing, pharmacy, research and other medical and allied health education programs as part of a Center for Health and Learning. Both institutions have identified potential areas of collaboration. Piedmont Healthcare aims to enhance its teaching environment and expand on-campus research that is focused on outcomes and improved patient care. Piedmont also seeks increased access to students and potential employees in nursing, pharmacy and other allied health fields. Long-term, Piedmont hopes to establish unique hospital/university integrated programs. Mercer seeks to establish a more vigorous research presence and to deepen program offerings in nursing and pharmacy. Mercer also expects to broaden its medical residency program. In addition, Mercer aims to broaden its non-clinical education programs, such as chaplaincy, health management and health law.
About Piedmont Healthcare:
Piedmont Healthcare, a not-for-profit organization, is the parent company of Piedmont Hospital, a 458-bed acute tertiary care facility in the north Atlanta community of Buckhead, offering all major medical, surgical and diagnostic services, a recipient of the Distinguished Hospital Award for Patient SafetyTM in 2007 and 2006 according to HealthGrades (a leading healthcare ratings company) and one of the nation’s Most Wired hospitals in the 2006, 2005 and 2004 100 Most Wired Survey and Benchmarking Study; Piedmont Fayette Hospital, a 108-bed acute care community hospital in Fayetteville, named one of the nations 100 Top Hospitals® for the third year in a row and one of the nation’s Most Wired hospitals; Piedmont Mountainside Hospital, a 35-bed community hospital in Jasper, named 2006 Hospital of the year by the Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals; the Piedmont Hospital Foundation; Piedmont Physicians Group, with more than 70 primary care physicians in 21 offices throughout metro Atlanta; and the Piedmont Clinic, a 496-member physician network. For more information, visit www.piedmont.org.
About Mercer University:
Founded in 1833, Mercer University is a dynamic and comprehensive center of undergraduate, graduate and professional education. The University has 7,300 students; 11 schools and colleges – liberal arts, law, pharmacy, medicine, business, engineering, education, theology, music, nursing and continuing and professional studies; major campuses in Macon and Atlanta; four regional academic centers across the state; a university press; two teaching hospitals — Memorial Health University Medical Center and the Medical Center of Central Georgia; educational partnerships with Warner Robins Air Logistics Center in Warner Robins and Piedmont Healthcare in Atlanta; an engineering research center in Warner Robins; a performing arts center in Macon; and a NCAA Division I athletic program. For more information, visit www.mercer.edu.
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