Nursing
Leadership Education in Child-Health Nursing (LECHN)
School of Nursing
The University of Alabama at Birmingham
Contact
Anne Turner-Henson, DSN, RN
Phone: 205-934-7533
Email: turnhena@uab.edu
Web Site: Leadership Education in Child-Health Nursing
Overview
The UAB LECHN has been continuously funded since July of 2008. Each year our goal is to train five funded nursing trainees per year, though we often have one to two unfunded nursing trainees each year as well. Funded trainees receive $865.50/month stipend and $1500.00/year tuition support.
There is a critical shortage of Child Health Nursing (CHN) faculty, particularly faculty with the skills, knowledge, research and leadership abilities to prepare future providers and leaders in Child Health Nursing. The overall goal of our program is to prepare CHN nursing faculty leaders who will train and mentor future CHN leaders to provide culturally sensitive, family-centered, evidence-based care for children and families in interdisciplinary and collaborative partnerships in community-based settings.
Purpose
To prepare Child-Health Nursing (CHN) faculty leaders who will train and mentor future CHN leaders to provide culturally sensitive, family-centered, evidence-based care for children and families in interdisciplinary and collaborative partnerships in community-based settings.
Drs Anne Turner-Henson (Project Director),
Glenda Smith (Project Faculty), and
Marti Rice (Project Faculty)
Training
Training opportunities for doctoral (PhD) level studies in nursing education. The program augments the School of Nursing's PhD program with specific training in CHN education and biobehavioral research. Onsite training and distance learning accessible strategies are available.
Research
LECHN faculty and fellows are engaged in a variety of biobehavioral studies related to child health. LECHN fellows receive training in biobehavioral research methods. Through the LECHN program, fellows partake in a variety of research learning experiences such as presenting at research conferences, learning how to run biomarker assays in the research laboratory, annual day with a nurse scientist in child-health nursing, etc...
Additional Resources
Project Photos
LECHN Program
Trainees' Stories
LECHN Program
LECHN has given me the opportunity to really fine tune my research interest through close interaction with peers and faculty interested in child health.
Jeannie Rodriguez is a PhD student residing in Atlanta, Georgia who received her BSN from Mercer University Georgia Baptist College of Nursing and her MSN from Emory University. Jeannie is certified as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner in Primary Care and currently works as needed at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Hughes Spalding. Jeannie is co-chair of the Student Network for the Southern Nursing Research Society (SNRS). She was previously an instructor at Emory University in their Primary Care Pediatric Advanced Nursing Practice Program. Jeannie is married and has two young boys.
Her research interests include physical growth and nutrition in children who were born prematurely. Jeannie plans to pursue an academic position in nursing upon graduation from the PhD program.
LECHN has meant a rare educational experience for which I will always be grateful. In addition to providing necessary funds to continue my doctoral education, LECHN has provided learning opportunities above and beyond what I would have been afforded within the traditional program. The opportunity to meet nursing leaders and researchers, the exposure to funding sources and other academic institutions, as well as the support of the LECHN faculty have all assisted in my growth as a doctoral student and as a future child health nurse leader.
Betsy D. Gulledge, RN, MSN, received a BA in psychology from Auburn University in 1992. She graduated with an ADN from Southern Union State Community College in 1995 and immediately began practicing in the area of mental health. After several years of working at a free-standing psychiatric facility, Ms. Gulledge went on to pursue a BSN (2002) and MSN (2005) from Jacksonville State University. She is currently an instructor of nursing at Jacksonville State University where she teaches Community Mental Health, Leadership, Communication of Ethical Issues, and Pharmacology.
She is a doctoral student in the PhD program at UAB. Her dissertation is focusing on Biobehavioral Health examining self-concept, sedentary behaviors, and blood pressure in middle school children. Upon graduation from the PhD program, Mrs. Gulledge plans to continue teaching nursing and conducting research.
