The Vanderbilt University School of Nursing has received a $1,221,359 grant to aid students who plan to become nursing faculty.

The grant is for doctor of nursing practice students.

The new award brings the funds the school has received for the program since 2008 to $7.3 million.

The grant is designed to increase the number of qualified nursing faculty in colleges and universities across the country.

“The nursing profession is in the enviable position of experiencing increasing demand for nurses and seeing record numbers of students apply to nursing programs,” says Linda Norman, DSN, R.N., FAAN, the Valere Potter Menefee Professor of Nursing and dean of VUSN.

“Well-qualified faculty are needed to instruct and mentor those students. This loan forgiveness program encourages and equips doctorally prepared nurses to become effective faculty nurse scholars.”

Students planning to teach can receive a NFLP award that underwrites VUSN tuition, books, fees and associated costs. After graduation, loan recipients employed as nursing faculty in any school of nursing in the United States for four years will have 85 percent of the loan forgiven. The student has a 10-year period to pay back the remaining 15 percent.

XMI acquires ConServ Business Services

XMI, a provider of comprehensive business process management services, has acquired ConServ Business Services.

Through this transaction, XMI enhances its capabilities to provide advanced financial reporting analysis and reports to its clients. Financial reporting is part of XMI’s Growth Platform for high-potential businesses.

As part of the transaction, ConServ’s services will operate under the XMI name. ConServ’s clients will have access to the XMI Growth Platform, which includes seven pillars of infrastructure support: human resource management, financial reporting, managed technology services, risk management services, corporate finance services, web hosting and graphics, and meetings and events.

UT, Vandy, state study Drive to 55 project

The state and two academic facilities are partnering to research the effectiveness of initiatives developed under Tennessee’s “Drive to 55” campaign.

The Boyd Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Tennessee, Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College of Education and Human Development and the Tennessee Higher Education Commission are involved in the project, made possible with a $400,000 grant.

The researchers will establish the Tennessee Postsecondary Evaluation and Analysis Research Lab, or TN-PEARL.

TN-PEARL will research several questions connected to the state’s “Drive to 55” campaign, including how state, local, and institutional policies can raise postsecondary educational attainment and whether recent policies are effectively increasing postsecondary attainment and returns. The research will begin this fall.

The “Drive to 55” campaign was created in 2013 as an effort to have 55 percent of working-age Tennesseans hold a postsecondary credential by 2025. The three largest initiatives created under the campaign are Tennessee Promise, Tennessee Reconnect, and the Tennessee Labor Education Alignment Program, or Tennessee LEAP.

Medical Interoperability Center open on Charlotte

The Center for Medical Interoperability has opened its new Nashville headquarters and a one-of-a-kind testing and certification lab in the oneC1TY development off of Charlotte Pike.

The center is a 501(c)(3) cooperative research and development lab founded by health systems to simplify and advance data sharing.

Health systems and other provider organizations are working to eliminate current barriers to swift and seamless communication of patient information among medical devices and electronic health records.

“The opening of the headquarters and launch of the lab are enormous steps toward addressing the difficulties that health systems share in getting medical devices and electronic health records to ‘talk’ to each other,” said Mike Schatzlein, MD, chair of the Center’s board. “All too often,” he continued, “this prevents physicians and other caregivers from having complete information about a patient readily available when they make important treatment decisions.”

Nashville Airport earns Stewardship Award

The Metropolitan Nashville Airport has been named one of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation’s 2017 Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Award winners. The agency was honored for commitment to sustainability in the Pursuit of Excellence category.

Two programs were recognized by the state:

MNAA’s geothermal lake plate cooling system, which is the largest of its kind in North America, and its compressed natural gas program that has converted the entire shuttle fleet to be CNG-powered.

MNAA’s newly opened CNG fueling station at Nashville International Airport to support the fleet.

The Pursuit of Excellence category recognizes past award winners who continue to demonstrate a high regard for environmental stewardship practices.

TSU announces new fast-track MBA program

Tennessee State University is launching an Executive MBA program this fall, targeting busy professionals.

The 12-month program offers a convenient, business-friendly schedule with classes meeting on weekends and is delivered in a hybrid format consisting of a mix of in-person and online course offerings. Program participants also have the opportunity to spend 10 days studying outside the United States.

The program provides the same foundation and rigor as TSU’s MBA degree with the added bonus of providing a fast track to improved on-the-job performance.

The EMBA consists of 36 credit hours to be completed in 12 months and features convenient scheduling, distance learning, and Web-supported courses.

Students will be required to complete a residency whereby the 1st weekend of classes for each module will be delivered in a face-to-face format. Classes will be held at a Nashville hotel 2-6 p.m. on Fridays and 8 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturdays.

MEDNAX buys Nashville practice

MEDNAX, a Florida-based company, has acquired Greater Nashville Perinatology, PLC, a private maternal-fetal medicine physician practice.

The Nashville firm employs one physician, seven sonographers and five non-clinical associates.

The maternal-fetal practice specializes in care for expectant mothers, including those with high-risk and complicated pregnancies, by providing consults, various diagnostic testing including percutaneous umbilical blood sampling, ultrasounds, genetic counseling, inpatient services, and deliveries.

Greater Nashville Perinatology has three patient offices located in Smyrna, Franklin and Nashville and provides services to TriStar StoneCrest Medical Center, Williamson Medical Center and TriStar Centennial Women’s Hospital.

This acquisition adds to the services MEDNAX provides in Tennessee through its affiliated network of physicians across multiple specialties which include anesthesiology, maternal-fetal medicine, neonatology, newborn hearing screens, obstetric hospitalist, pediatric cardiology, pediatric hospitalist, pediatric infectious disease, pediatric intensive care, pediatric surgery, pediatric urology and radiology.

Water declared safe in Metro Schools

Metro Nashville Public Schools has participated in a voluntary test of water in its oldest buildings and found it is safe and meets all public water standards.

The school system is waiting on a final report for this first phase, currently being compiled. It should be released by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation in a few weeks.

Metro worked with Metro Water Services, Metro Public Health Department and an outside expert to develop and implement a process that meets all requirements for water quality sampling of public water systems.

During Phase 1, water samples of every potential drinking water source in the oldest buildings, including places unlikely to be used for drinking water such as sinks in bathrooms, locker rooms and classrooms, were tested. The testing and the follow-up response has been reviewed.

The final report for this first phase is being compiled and should be ready within the next few weeks.

At no time in this first phase of sampling were there any concerns raised for the safety of our drinking water.

All drinking fountains in buildings will be tested prior to the start of school to assure families and staff that drinking water in all schools is safe.

Belmont’s Massey College reaccredited

The Jack C. Massey College of Business at Belmont has maintained it business and specialized accounting accreditation by The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

Founded in 1916, AACSB International is the longest serving global accrediting body for business schools that offer bachelors, masters and doctorate degrees in business and accounting.

Belmont is part of an elite group of institutions – less than 5 percent of the world’s business schools – to have achieved business accreditation from AACSB International.

To realize accounting accreditation, an institution must first earn or maintain AACSB Business Accreditation, which requires an institution to undergo a meticulous internal review and evaluation process. Then, in addition to developing and implementing a mission-driven plan to satisfy the business accreditation quality standards, accounting accreditation requires the satisfaction of an additional set of standards specific to the discipline and profession of accounting.

Marshall Family Foods earns 5 industry awards

The Greater Nashville Hospitality Association recently honored several winners from A. Marshall Family Foods Inc. at its annual Stars of the Industry luncheon.

Marshal operates Puckett’s Gro. & Restaurant, Puckett’s Boat House, Puckett’s Trolley, Homestead Manor, Scout’s Pub, two locations of Hattie Jane’s Creamery and Deacon’s New South

Claire Crowell, chief operating officer, received the GNHA Women in Tourism & Hospitality Leader of the Year award.

Independent Restaurant Manager of the Year was awarded to Ben Stepp, general manager of Puckett’s Gro. & Restaurant in Columbia.

Noe Martinez received the Independent Restaurant Employee of the Year award.

Donnie Counts, executive chef of Harvest at Homestead Manor, was named Chef of the Year.

Funds 4 Food, a campaign run by the Puckett’s team in downtown Nashville, received the GNHA Gold Star Public Relations Award for Community Service.