To prepare exceptional nurse leaders to meet the health needs of the people of Tennessee, the nation and beyond through:
• Cultivating creativity and passion to improve health care
• Leading scientific innovations and clinical practice
• Using innovative academic approaches
• Serving society
• Building community partnerships
VISION
Nurses leading innovative transformation of health care.
Strengthen Student Recruitment, Retention, and Outcomes
Grow and Strengthen Research and Scholarship
Advance Healthier Communities
Recognize, Develop, and Leverage Talent
PILLAR #1
Strengthen Student Recruitment, Retention, and Outcomes
GOAL: Provide new and enhanced student-centric initiatives for recruitment, retention, and optimization of outcomes.
PILLAR #2
Grow and Strengthen Research and Scholarship
GOAL: Capitalize on practice, education, and service strengths to grow research and scholarship that improves health outcomes in Tennessee and beyond.
PILLAR #3
Advance Healthier Communities
GOAL: Advance healthier communities through practice, partnership, innovation, and excellence in nursing across Tennessee and beyond.
PILLAR #4
Recognize, Develop, and Leverage Talent
GOAL: Create an environment that supports the well-being, professional success, and engagement of faculty, staff, students, alumni, and preceptors.
Strengthen Student Recruitment, Retention, and Outcomes
GOAL
Provide new and enhanced student-centric initiatives for recruitment, retention, and optimization of outcomes.
Cross cutting concepts to consider: Belonging, Communication, Technology, and Philanthropy
OBJECTIVE 1
Strategically evaluate and implement innovative initiatives for recruitment, retention, and outcomes.
STRATEGY 1.1.1
Evaluate current strategic recruitment techniques and their reach to potential students across Tennessee and beyond.
o Evaluate methods of recruitment performance over time at UT Health Science Center
- Identify recruitment rate among feeder and partner schools UT Health Science Center CoN
- Engage with our Community of Interest (COI) to determine needs
- Review recruitment methods from like schools
- Assess for best practices for recruitment
- Select model for implementation
STRATEGY 1.1.2
Implement framework to guide efforts in recruitment and retention to support all academic programs and optimize student outcomes.
o Review recruitment frameworks
- Assess for alignment of framework with UT Health Science Center CoN vision
- Select framework for implementation
o Review retention frameworks
- Assess for alignment of framework with UT Health Science Center CoN vision
- Select framework for implementation
STRATEGY 1.1.3
Administer a comprehensive plan for student support across the continuum of recruitment and retention that meets the needs of all students, including first generation and under-represented students.
o Map matriculation and performance over time
- Analyze factors contributing to success or failure in CoN
- Create innovative plans to facilitate student success based on analysis
o Examine the effectiveness of student support services
- Implement updated Student Satisfaction Survey to include qualitative data
- Develop, implement, or strengthen qualitative data collection (e.g., focus groups, town halls)
o Analyze student performance data trends in performance among each concentration
o Implement selected recruitment and retention frameworks
STRATEGY 1.1.4
Evaluate fiscal, technological, and physical resources as well as human capital to execute initiatives related to student recruitment, retention, and outcomes.
o Assess technological and physical resources needed to develop or expand potential recruitment and retention initiatives
o Assess human capital needed to develop or expand potential recruitment and retention initiatives
o Determine feasibility of initiatives based on budget
o Select recruitment and retention initiatives
OBJECTIVE 2
Develop and/or strengthen student centered initiatives to recruit, retain, and optimize outcomes.
STRATEGY 1.2.1
Develop a creative communication plan to engage current and prospective students.
o Collaborate with faculty and students to strengthen student recruitment and retention initiatives
- Evaluate enrollment numbers based on contextual factors
- Increased retention
- Decreased Progressions
- Increased engagement of students and faculty
- Increased student satisfaction and sense of belonging
- Increased faculty satisfaction and sense of belonging
- Data on the number of students recruited at each recruitment event
- Data on the number of students enrolled by feeder schools
- Data on the number of students enrolled from various health systems
o Assess the return on investment (ROI) on recruitment events and students yielded
Target recruitment events based on contextual factors and ROI on events
o Collaborate with our COI to strengthen student recruitment initiatives
- Engage with COI on program development based on identified needs
- Enlist COI to strengthen or create innovative recruitment initiatives
- Determine feasibility of advancing current undergraduate partnerships and graduate partnerships
STRATEGY 1.2.2
Implement program specific recruitment initiatives in collaboration with university level entities.
o Collaborate with university level entities on K-12 and post-secondary recruitment initiatives
o Create innovative recruitment initiatives
o Implement innovative recruitment initiatives based on contextual factors
- Engage in targeted, strategic recruiting
- Enrollment targets achieved
STRATEGY 1.2.3
Develop new, innovative pipelines and strengthen existing pipeline programs through innovative partnerships.
o Assess recruitment metrics in current pipeline programs
- Data on the number of PEP students enrolled from each school
o Analyze data to determine effectiveness of current pipeline programs
o Develop plan to strengthen existing pipelines
o Appraise pipeline program opportunities in the Mid-South and beyond
o Leverage new pipeline program opportunities in the Mid-South based on enrollment targets
- Enrollment targets achieved
o Engage in targeted, strategic recruiting at pipeline schools
- Enrollment targets achieved
OBJECTIVE 3
Engage and communicate with stakeholders in continuous quality improvement processes to refine recruitment, retention, and optimization of outcomes.
STRATEGY 1.3.1
Leverage academic-practice partnerships to facilitate collaboration to inform quality improvement endeavors within the college and among our stakeholders.
o Expand preceptor pool to facilitate program expansion
- Growth of programs within the next five years based on clinical site availability, fiscal, human capital, and physical resources
o Strengthen preceptor pool to leverage clinical talent
- Develop preceptor portal on CoN website including online orientation modules and CE’s
- Develop robust preceptor gratitude plan
STRATEGY 1.3.2
Establish and/or increase collaboration with stakeholders to develop a plan to facilitate response to college, partner, and community needs.
o Survey stakeholders to determine unmet needs among partners and community
- Deploy survey
o Develop a plan to meet needs expressed by college, partner and community stakeholders
- Analyze survey
- Decreases in unmet needs
STRATEGY 1.3.3
Strategically engage students and alumni in the initiatives of the college.
o Provide opportunity for students to give feedback on their engagement in the work of our college
- Enhance the communication plan between faculty and students
– Evaluate effectiveness through student feedback
– Determine engagement through participation numbers at key engagement events
- Assess the placement of students on all appropriate committees to see where we might expand their presence
o Increase opportunities for alumni to give feedback on their engagement in the work of our college
o Develop a plan to leverage clinical placements through alumni engagement
- Develop a more robust communication plan that includes alumni, faculty, and students
– Evaluate effectiveness through alumni, faculty, and student feedback
– Determine engagement through participation numbers at key events
PILLAR #2
Grow and Strengthen Research and Scholarship
GOAL
Capitalize on practice, education, and service strengths to grow research and scholarship that improves health outcomes in Tennessee and beyond.
Cross cutting concepts to consider: Belonging, Communication, Technology, and Philanthropy
OBJECTIVE 1
Strategically evaluate strengths across missions for growth in targeted areas of research.
STRATEGY 2.1.1
Build out a comprehensive plan for our current areas of excellence (rural and underserved health, sickle cell disease, and stroke) and foster additional areas of strength to be added as areas of excellence in the future.
o Have a comprehensive plan for our current areas of excellence (rural and underserved health, sickle cell disease, and stroke).
o Identify one additional area of strength in year 1 that could be added as an area of excellence in year 3-5.
STRATEGY 2.1.2
Communicate key metrics for success within the research and scholarship mission.
o Key metrics for success are communicated internally in the CoN insider and externally through a dashboard on the webpage.
OBJECTIVE 2
Develop, integrate, and support innovative opportunities for clinical, interdisciplinary, and community collaboration.
STRATEGY 2.2.1
Develop strategies to enhance collaborations internal and external to the College of Nursing, including international opportunities.
o In the first year, identify and explore at least two new partnerships with internal and external stakeholders, that will help to build research and scholarship activities for our faculty.
STRATEGY 2.2.2
Expand the role of the Center for Community and Global Partnerships to leverage and expand collaborations for research and scholarship.
o The Director for the Center for Community and Global Partnerships will identify and lead at least one new initiative to support rural and underserved health.
OBJECTIVE 3
Foster the professional development of our faculty in research and scholarship.
STRATEGY 2.3.1
Create opportunities to support conduct and dissemination of research and scholarship.
o A brief “in the pipeline” communication is added to at least ½ of the All College meetings, so that there is greater awareness of upcoming opportunities for research and scholarship.
o Optimize grant identification and strategy initiatives to assist faculty in matching their interests to appropriate opportunities.
o Expand the scope and reach of the grants workshops.
STRATEGY 2.3.4
Develop strategies for mentoring of faculty for leadership in research and scholarship.
o At least two speakers are invited by the end of year 1 to host professional development workshops on research and scholarship dissemination activities.
Advance Healthier Communities
Advance healthier communities through practice, partnership, innovation, and excellence in nursing across Tennessee and beyond.
Cross cutting concepts to consider: Belonging, Communication, Technology, and Philanthropy
OBJECTIVE 1
Ensure a meaningful community-engaged approach across missions.
STRATEGY 3.1.1
Adopt and operationalize model(s) to guide the CoN’s community-engagement plan.
o Identify and recommend models.
o Adopt model(s) within the CoN.
o Integrate models into/across the four missions.
o Introduce the model to faculty and students.
o Create an exemplar to demonstrate the use of the model to guide CoN community engagement.
STRATEGY 3.1.2
Implement professional development strategies to build competency and capacity in applying the model to advance healthier communities across missions.
o Develop a nursing continuing professional development activity.
STRATEGY 3.1.3
Develop a strategic dissemination plan to increase the visibility of the CoN’s efforts across multiple sectors (professional, lay public).
o Develop a community engagement communication plan.
o Develop reporting metrics for the communication plan.
o Evaluate the communication plan annually, revising as indicated.
OBJECTIVE 2
Build and/or foster mutually beneficial communityacademic partnerships and academic-practice partnerships.
STRATEGY 3.2.1
Conduct a comprehensive assessment of current CoN community-engaged activities, current CoN academicpractice partner sites to identify areas of mutual interest.
o Identify current activities and how they align with the models and the CoN priorities.
o Identify gaps and prioritize CoN community-engaged activities.
o Report and disseminate annually.
o Develop outcomes (process and clinical) for all community activities and measure annually and/or after each activity.
o Assess how many students were mentored by CoN faculty at each site.
o Explore ways for more students to be mentored by CoN faculty.
STRATEGY 3.2.2
Strategically expand community-academic partnerships and activities across TN.
o Identify key agencies or organizations in which we need to strengthen relationships, such as the local and state health departments, K-12 school nurses.
- Identify key agencies or organizations in which we need to strengthen relationships, such as the local and state health departments, K-12 school nurses.
- Foster and sustain these relationships.
- Conduct a gap analysis, identify communities where the CoN needs to develop or strengthen partnerships. .
- Develop sustainability plans for existing community academic and practice partnerships by June 30, 2025.
- Develop new or join existing organized community groups (i.e. coalition, advisory group, task force, etc.) to support advancement of CoN priorities.
o Explore additional CoN Faculty Practice Sites and additional CoN nurse-led health clinics in TN.
- Develop a list of potential faculty practice site collaborators and review annually.
STRATEGY 3.2.3
Develop and implement a strategic internal communication plan to share opportunities with the CoN and alumni to engage with the community.
o Explore the use of GivePulse® to disseminate service.
o Develop a service opportunity communication plan.
OBJECTIVE 3
Foster advocacy and health policy engagement.
STRATEGY 3.3.1
Conduct a comprehensive assessment of current CoN board representation.
o Develop a faculty survey from Digital Measures to identify board representation.
STRATEGY 3.3.2
Increase CoN representation on key, strategic local, regional, and state boards to advance partnerships, healthy Tennesseans, and thriving communities.
o Develop a list of key local, regional, and state boards in TN and the region.
STRATEGY 3.3.3
Facilitate faculty development opportunities for those interested in developing advocacy and health policy skills.
o Assess the interest of faculty.
o Use the curriculum from the Nurses on Boards Training from the Tennessee Action Coalition to train faculty.
o Identify other professional development for developing advocacy and policy skills.
STRATEGY 3.3.4
Develop a systematic process to nominate CoN faculty for select board service appointments.
o Embed this nomination process into the CoN Faculty Awards Committee.
OBJECTIVE 4
Promote data utilization and technology integration.
STRATEGY 3.4.1
Expand our capacity to utilize data and information technology to advance healthier communities.
o Assess the current data utilization and information technology available.
STRATEGY 3.4.2
Develop a comprehensive plan to address gaps (build competency, capacity, data dashboards, and partnerships).
o Create professional development opportunities for faculty and staff to build competency and capacity for data utilization and technology integration.
STRATEGY 3.4.3
Develop a plan using metrics that are data driven to evaluate the effectiveness of faculty practice.
o Identify ways other academic health science centers measure faculty practice effectiveness.
o Develop a data driven evaluation plan.
STRATEGY 3.4.4
Use data driven processes to direct quality improvement in nursing practice.
o Provide professional development opportunities in quality improvement for building healthier communities.
PILLAR #4
Recognize, Develop, and Leverage Talent
GOAL
Create an environment that supports the well-being, professional success, and engagement of faculty, staff, students, alumni, and preceptors. Cross-cutting concepts: Belonging, Communication, and Philanthropy
OBJECTIVE 1
Expand and optimize resources and opportunities for professional growth.
STRATEGY 4.1.1
Identify faculty and staff development interests.
o Collect faculty and staff development interests during the annual evaluation.
o Integrate annual development interests into the next year’s goals.
o Provide information about development opportunities based on individual faculty and staff interests.
STRATEGY 4.1.2
Explore opportunities to disseminate information about professional development to faculty and staff.
o Evaluate existing communication strategies related to professional development.
o Identify gaps in communication regarding professional development opportunities.
o Create a strategy based on survey results and identified gaps.
OBJECTIVE 2
Cultivate an environment that promotes belonging and work and program satisfaction.
STRATEGY 4.2.1
Assess survey data from faculty, staff, and student perceptions of well-being and belonging.
o Search the literature for existing strategies to promote well-being and belonging.
o Implement a plan derived from the well-being and belonging survey and the literature to enhance wellbeing and belonging.
o Continue faculty annual wellness goals on annual performance and planning review.
o Offer at least one wellness and belonging engagement opportunity for faculty annually.
o Implement at least one staff wellness goal each year for annual performance and planning review.
o Offer at least one wellness and belonging engagement opportunity for staff annually.
o Create a student wellness goal during new student orientation.
o Offer at least one wellness and belonging engagement opportunity for students annually.
STRATEGY 4.2.2
Assess survey data from faculty and staff perceptions of work.
o Search the literature for existing strategies to promote work and program satisfaction.
o Implement a plan derived from the work surveys to enhance work satisfaction.
o Create work engagement opportunities for faculty and staff.
STRATEGY 4.2.3
Assess survey data from student perception of the programs.
o Search the literature for existing strategies to promote program satisfaction.
o Implement a plan derived from the student surveys and the literature to enhance program satisfaction.
o Deliver program engagement opportunities for students.
OBJECTIVE 3
Establish a comprehensive and sustainable succession plan.
STRATEGY 4.3.1
Identify faculty leadership aspirations and academic rank to inform leadership team decisions about growth opportunities.
o Include faculty leadership aspirations as a formal component of the annual performance and planning review (APPR) process and documentation.
o Maintain a formal list of faculty leadership goals updated annually by the Department Chairs.
STRATEGY 4.3.2
Build on the Leadership Fellowship Program.
o Explore leadership engagement opportunities based on faculty goals.
o Identify external faculty leadership development opportunities.
o Inform faculty about external and internal leadership awards to encourage nominations.
OBJECTIVE 4
Strengthen recognition of excellence in the workplace to promote retention.
STRATEGY 4.4.1
Identify ongoing faculty recognition programs.
o Continue disseminating faculty recognitions and awards in the College of Nursing Accolades and Insider publications archived under the News and Events on the college’s home page.
o Assess participation trends in faculty nominations.
o Simplify the internal college recognition and internal awards nomination process.
STRATEGY 4.4.2
Identify ongoing staff recognition programs.
o Continue disseminating staff recognitions and awards archived in the College of Nursing Accolades and Insider publications under News and Events on the college’s home page.
o Assess participation trends in staff nominations.
o Simplify the internal college recognition and internal awards nomination process.
Strategic Plan
The University of Tennessee is an EEO/AA/Title VI/Title IX/Section 504/ADA/ADEA institution in the provision of its education and employment programs and services.
