LOCAL EDUCATION NEWS — She’s been Motlow’s Director of Nursing and Associate Professor of Nursing and now, Dr. Amy Holder can add a new title to her resume. Last week, Motlow State promoted the Huntland resident to Dean of Nursing and Allied Health.
Motlow says Dr. Holder played an instrumental role in developing the summer transition course and taught it for several years. She succeeds Pat Hendrix, who recently retired after leading the Health Sciences division and serving at Motlow for 25 years. Before Motlow, Holder worked in an Obstetrical/Neonatal unit and taught health science at Franklin County High School.
“It means so much to me to be selected for this position. I am excited to be given the opportunity to lead the unit forward into the future. I am looking forward to assisting many more students to achieve their dreams,” said Holder.
Motlow’s nursing program is known across the state. The program features two options: a four-semester curriculum for new students and a three-semester option for one year track LPN to RN transitioning students. The program prepares nursing students to sit for the National Council Licensure Exam for Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN). It emphasizes clinical decision-making, caring intervention, and more. As a result, the program has high job placement rates, with 95-100 percent of graduates placed.
In addition to nursing, Motlow’s Allied Health also includes the EMS program and the Medical Laboratory Technology program. EMS provides EMT, Advanced EMT, and Paramedic certification, which places graduates in fire departments, flight programs, and other emergency departments. Lab technicians learn theories, principles, and disease correlations behind clinical laboratory testing to diagnose better and treat patients.
“My vision for Health Sciences is to expand enrollment in our already excellent programs and carefully evaluate any additional curricula based on what would be most beneficial to the most individuals in our service area,” Holder added.
Holder earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Arkansas. Additionally, she earned her Master of Science in Nursing Administration from the University of Alabama in Huntsville. She has also attained a Post-Master’s Certificate in Nursing Education from the University of Alabama and her Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing from East Tennessee State University.
She is a member of the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society, Tennessee Nurses Association, and a former member of Delta Kappa Gamma.
Holder explained that she enjoys feeling like she has contributed to improving students’ health care and lives. She added that in her new position, she knows that “my greatest challenges are finding qualified faculty to teach in our programs and adequate clinical placements for our students,” she said. •
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