Last year Belmont University announced the creation of a Public Health Nurse Residency Program in partnership with the Tennessee Department of Health. This is the the first program of its kind for new graduates in the state and one of only a few in the country. For the inaugural year of the program, recent Belmont alumnae Acqueline Caine and Kaitlin Malick were selected for the residency program.
Dr. Cathy Taylor, dean of Belmont’s College of Health Science and Nursing, said, “This has been a dream of mine for more than 10 years, and we are so proud of Acqueline and Kaitlin. PHN practice requires confidence, extensive preparation and a broad skill set, so only experienced nurses have been eligible for these positions in the past. But with enhanced coaching and orientation, we believe those eligibility restrictions can be lifted for our graduates, and more patients can receive the care they need.”