Jessee named VUSN Pre-Specialty director
Mary Ann Jessee, MSN, R.N., has been named Vanderbilt University School of Nursing’s Pre-Specialty director. She had been serving as interim director of the program since last August.
Mary Ann Jessee, MSN, R.N.
VUSN’s prespecialty program enrolls approximately 150 students each academic year. The students already hold bachelor’s degrees in fields other than nursing. They participate in three semesters of intense nursing education and clinical learning equivalent to bachelors in Nursing Science programs, called the “prespecialty year,” and from there, continue to their advanced nursing practice level courses.
“Mary Ann is the perfect person to fill this important role at the school,” said Linda Norman, DSN, R.N., senior associate dean of Academics for VUSN. “She is a talented professor and clinician. She led the faculty this year in a major curriculum review and revision and demonstrated an exceptional understanding of curriculum development.”
Jessee first joined VUSN as a faculty member in the prespecialty program in 2003. For the past nine years, she has taught fundamental courses in the school’s program such as clinical practice, theoretical foundations of nursing and development of simulations.
Prior to joining Vanderbilt, Jessee had 15 years of experience as a registered nurse working in a variety of health care settings – critical care, long-term care and pediatrics. She earned her MSN as pediatric clinic nurse specialist from VUSN and her undergraduate studies were completed at Middle Tennessee State University.
Jessee is a member of the Tennessee Nurses Association, American Nurses Association and Sigma Theta Tau International, the honor society for nursing.