History
The developmental saga of the Associate Degree Nursing Program at Chattanooga State Technical Community College
had its earliest roots in the mid-1970’s. Although implementation of the nursing program did not occur
until the employment of a director, one faculty and a secretary in July 1982 by President Charles W. Branch,
the years from 1975-1982 marked the beginning of the initial groundwork that led to the eventual implementation
of the Associate Degree Nursing Program.
Following acceptance of a proposal for the establishment of a registered nursing program at Chattanooga State by the Tennessee Board of Regents and the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, a consultant, Rosmond Callery, was employed in 1975 to initiate a feasibility study to determine the need for such a program in the Chattanooga area.
Letters and memos document the results of a survey conducted to establish need for the program, availability of clinical experience for students and employment opportunities for graduates. Results of the survey were mixed: hospitals generally supported the implementation of the program which would serve as a source of manpower for employment while schools of nursing currently operating in the area generally did not support implementation of the program. A memo to Dr. Charles Branch dated April 16, 1976, stated that the data did not support the implementation of the nursing program at Chattanooga State and, therefore, the recommendation was to defer implementation.
During this same time period—1975-1976—Chattanooga State began negotiations with the Baroness Erlanger School of Nursing to provide support courses such as Anatomy and Physiology for students in their school of nursing.
This negotiation proved to be productive and Erlanger students began taking courses at Chattanooga State in 1977. This relationship between Erlanger School of Nursing and Chattanooga State existed and strengthened over the years and provided the means for a smooth and effective transition when Erlanger School of Nursing eventually closed its doors.
In late 1981 the Tennessee Board of Regents and the Tennessee Higher Education Commission indicated to Chattanooga State that the time had come to either implement the associate degree nursing program or forfeit approval of the proposal to implement the program. The implication of this mandate was that if the program was not implemented, the approval process would have to be reinitiated via the Board of Regents. Dr. Branch initiated the process to secure applicants for the position of Director for the nursing program and in July 1982 employed a director, Tanya Gorman, one faculty, Marilyn Brady, and a secretary, Martha Pope. This allowed one year to secure Tennessee Board of Nursing approval, develop the curriculum, obtain Tennessee Board of Regents approval of the curriculum, secure clinical affiliates, recruit faculty, purchase support materials for instruction and library resources, market the program, select students and accomplish other activities required for a new program. The first class of 60 students enrolled in Fall 1983. As the first class, the students had the opportunity to establish many of the traditions that are still present today. The school pin was designed by this class and reflects the focus of the program philosophy on holistic man.
Following graduation of the first class in May 1985, the nursing program received National League for Nursing accreditation for the maximum number of years—eight—on first attempt with no recommendations. Other highlights in the evolution of the nursing program occurred in 1986 with implementation of the Licensed Practical Nursing Transition Program which provided a fast track for LPN’s wishing to become registered nurses and again in 1988 with the implementation of the Night Nursing Program designed to accommodate students who must continue to work full-time during the day while pursuing a nursing degree in the evening.
In 1986 the Board of Trustees of the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Hospital Authority voted to close the Baroness Erlanger School of Nursing. As part of the closure, Chattanooga State agreed to double the size of its enrollment to approximately 120 students per year beginning in 1987. Concurrently, the nursing program physically relocated to the Fillauer Building on the Erlanger Medical Center campus which Erlanger Medical completely renovated and refurbished for the nursing program.
Cynthia Swafford assumed the responsibilities of Director of the Nursing Program at Chattanooga State in 1988 and has enhanced many aspects of the program. In 1998, a totally redesigned curriculum was implemented. The "new" curriculum included a focus on wellness, more community-based nursing experiences and an emphasis on the application of critical thinking through the use of the nursing process.
In Fall 2000, a computer lab was created in the Fillauer facility. The resources included 32 Pentium computers networked to the internet and loaded with a variety of instructional software for use by nursing students.
In January 2002, the program moved from the Fillauer Building to 1100 E. Third Street on the campus of Erlanger Health System on the ground level of the UT Family Practice Center.
In January 2005, the program moved to the Amnicola campus to the Center for Business, Industry and Health (former Olan Mills facility). This facility provided for more classroom space and two clinical skills lab areas. In the process of the move, the computer resources were upgraded with the replacement/addition of 24 new computers to bring the total to 36. A $50,000 grant from HCA provided funding for the addition of a SIM MAN computerized simulation mannequin and CathSim, a computerized intravenous therapy simulator.
Long range plans for the college include a new Nursing and Allied Health building that will house all health related programs on the Amnicola campus.
A Paramedic to RN Transition Program was approved in the summer of 2005 to be implemented in January, 2006. This program an accelerated curriculum track for the licensed/certified paramedic to pursue the Associate of Applied Science degree and RN licensure. The development of this program was facilitated by a $22,000 grant from the Promise for Nursing in Tennessee project sponsored by Johnson & Johnson.
The Chattanooga State nursing program prepares competent nurses who are sought by area health care facilities for employment. With a current enrollment of over 250 students and over 2,000 graduates employed throughout the country, the program enjoys the quality reputation it has earned. Each year the program strives to enhance the process of educating nurses for Chattanooga and the surrounding area.