Nursing School Honors Master's Program Graduates

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing at the University of Arkansas honors its graduates of the Master of Science in Nursing program during National Clinical Nurse Specialist Recognition Week, Sept. 1-7.

Clinical nurse specialists work as leaders in three areas of the health system and community, according to the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists:

• At the bedside to improve outcomes and evidence-based practices.
• With other nurse colleagues to establish best practice models, create and monitor policies, and design nursing practice standards.
• With other hospital leaders to enhance quality and patient safety systemwide.

"On behalf of the Eleanor Mann School of Nursing faculty, I would like to extend warm wishes on this third annual National Clinical Nurse Specialist Recognition Week to the 17 current Master of Science in Nursing students in the CNS concentration and the 19 past graduates of the M.S.N. program," said Kathleen Barta, associate professor of nursing and graduate coordinator. "We are also proud to welcome 11 students in the new nurse educator concentration. Thank you for your work to improve the quality of life of people in your care and the communities where you live."

The master's program earned accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education in 2007, the year that the first class of students graduated.

Graduates in two-year cohorts:

• 2007: Jeffery Coy, Sheryl Davis, Kim Fancher-Gonzalez, Susan Kimbrell, Felicia May, Kathleen Smith, Tammie Smith and Gina Wilson Dickey.
• 2009: Sarah Brinkley, Emily Coombs, Deborah Gale, Lindsey Sabatini and Nelson Seal.
• 2011: Courtney Burns, Natasha Jaramillo, Taylor Marshall, Karen Oelke, Susan Patton and Shena Ranon.

For more information about the graduate program, visit the nursing school's website.