Piedmont Healthcare in Atlanta has established the Piedmont Healthcare chair in nursing that will benefit the Georgia Baptist College of Nursing of Mercer University.

Piedmont funded the chair with a $2.85 million grant to the Center for Health and Learning, a partnership between the hospital system and the university. The chair will support the establishment of a nursing education doctorate program at Mercer.

"The changing and complex nature of health care requires us to find innovative solutions for the future delivery of care as well as patient outcomes," said Piedmont President and CEO R. Timothy Stack. "We want to continue to bolster interest in the nursing profession, and this Ph.D. program is a natural enhancement to nursing education in general and the Piedmont Nursing Scholars program in particular."

In 2005, Piedmont and Mercer formed The Center for Health and Learning to create several joint initiatives, including nursing, pharmacy, research and other medical and allied health education programs.

One of first initiatives was the founding of the Piedmont Nursing Scholars program, which was designed to help recruit, educate and place more nurses at Piedmont and in the community. There are 48 Mercer students in the Piedmont Nursing Scholars program.

NURSES HONORED: Nikki Sebren, RN, and Sarah Goldberg, RN, of the Aflac Cancer Center and Blood Disorders Service of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, were recently given the Laura Snitzer Boozer Nursing Award. The award honors nurses who have demonstrated professional excellence and leadership in pediatric cancer care.

Known for her positive attitude and leadership, Sebren has worked at the Aflac Cancer Center at Scottish Rite for three years, caring for patients with illnesses in hematology and oncology. She received her nursing degree from the Mississippi University for Women in Columbus, Miss.

Cited as the ultimate team player, Goldberg cares for children with solid tumors/sarcomas in the Aflac Cancer Center at Children's at Egleston. She received her nursing degree from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Va.

The award is given in memory of Laura Snitzer Boozer, an Aflac Cancer Center nurse who died unexpectedly in 1999. Each nurse will receive a scholarship to attend the nursing conference of her choice.

NURSING CONFERENCE: Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta will host "Critical Thinking at its Best: Contemporary Nursing, 'Was Florence Right All Along'?," the seventh annual medical surgical conference, on Jan. 25. The conference, which will be from 7 a.m. to 3:45 p.m., will address challenges in modern nursing and clinical practice issues that nurses encounter to provide competent, evidence-based care.

The cost, which includes a light breakfast and lunch, is $75 before Jan. 11 and $95 afterward.

For information, e-mail cantina.chester-cooper@piedmont.org (404-605-4120) or Kym.jones-hollinger@piedmont.org (404-605-4741).

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