MEMPHIS, Tenn., May 20, 2009 – Four nurse managers with Baptist Memorial Health Care were recently selected to attend the 2009 Nurse Manager Leadership Institute.

Karli Caruso and Carla Lane of Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis, Karin Randolph of Baptist Memorial Hospital-Collierville and Barbara Montgomery of Baptist Memorial Hospital-Union City were selected to attend the three-day course, which was held in Nashville and began May 12.

The institute was designed to equip nurse leaders with the skills needed to enhance unit performance, retain the organization’s highest performers and advance patient care excellence. The program focused on practical approaches, tools and resources to address unit level leadership and challenges for nurse managers.

The course was presented by the Tennessee Nursing Partners Collaborative, which includes the Tennessee Hospital Association, Tennessee Nurses Association, Tennessee Center for Nursing, Tennessee Organization of Nurse Executives, Tennessee Society of Health Care Human Resources Association, Tennessee Health Care Association and Tennessee Deans and Directors of Nursing. It was supported through funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Partners Investing in Nursing Program and Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.

One of the largest not-for-profit health care systems in the United States, Baptist Memorial Health Care offers a full continuum of care to communities throughout the Mid-South. The Baptist system, which consistently ranks among the top integrated health care networks in the nation, comprises 15 hospitals in West Tennessee, North Mississippi and East Arkansas; more than 3,100 affiliated physicians; home, hospice and psychiatric care; minor medical centers and clinics; a network of surgery, rehabilitation and other outpatient centers; and an education system highlighted by the Baptist College of Health Sciences. Baptist has more than 2,600 licensed beds systemwide, employs more than 12,000 people and has approximately 85,000 admissions annually. In fiscal year 2008, Baptist provided $485 million in community benefit to the communities it serves.

For more information about Baptist, please visit www.baptistonline.org or call 800-4-BAPTIST.

###