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Colleagues, students, and the University celebrate Therese Jamison’s—director of Lawrence Technological University’s nursing program—phenomenal career both as a nurse and educator after her recent announcement of retirement.
“Nursing chose me,” Jamison said. She has 43 years of experience as a nurse and started as a nursing assistant before becoming a graduate nurse. She knew a healthcare career was her calling and obtained baccalaureate and master’s degrees from Wayne State University, a postmaster to become a nurse practitioner from the University of Michigan, and a Doctorate of Nursing Practice from Vanderbilt. “It was a decision I never regretted,” Jamison says. She has 35 years of experience as an educator, starting as a clinical educator, then becoming a full-time professor, and in 2016, she was offered the position of director for LTU’s nursing program. “I always taught and did nursing concurrently. Our motto at LTU is theory and practice, and I knew I wanted to be a clinically relevant educator,” Jamison explains, who is currently a cardiovascular nurse practitioner at Ascension St. John in Detroit. Her role consists of managing patients who come to the hospital for consultation, cardiovascular surgery, and postoperative care.
‘Take me into your darkest hour. I will stand by you,’ is a line from Carrie Underwood’s song ‘Stand by Me,’ that resonates with Jamison regarding nursing. “As nurses, we are called to be in a person’s darkest hour. Our role is to stand by our patients, be a voice for them, and empower them. Those words are so visual, and that is why I said I was called to nursing; I was chosen,” Jamison explains.
As director of the nursing program, Jamison’s responsible for admission, ensuring students’ success, assisting in developing the curriculum and program, mentoring, teaching, and obtaining accreditation. She also has a minimum of four contact hours per week mentoring and educating nursing students. Beginning in fall 2024, 70% of the nursing faculty will have doctorate degrees, and 88% will have advanced certifications. LTU’s nursing program was accredited promptly following its establishment and will remain accredited through 2026.
The students are the core of the program, and Jamison is passionate about helping them succeed. “We have very high rigor. Our students need an 80% in every nursing class, and with a shortage of nurses, the program is actively discussing offering more financial aid to assist and attract more students,” Jamison elaborated. Seeing students graduate and be pinned by faculty is the most rewarding part for her. “I remember the day I admitted them and the days in between, and now they’re being pinned and graduating. It’s not just a moment; it’s four years of their journey, and that is the most memorable moment.”
She sees the future of nursing as bright but emphasizes the importance of taking care of oneself, especially when taking care of others is the profession. “We are givers. We feel more comfortable giving than receiving. Part of our conceptual framework of Relationship-Based Care is the premise of having a good relationship with yourself, then with your colleagues, the patient, and their family. If we can continue to love ourselves and be resilient, then our future’s bright,” Jamison explains. She hopes the nursing profession continues to advocate and represent themselves in leadership roles within hospital, state, and government systems.
To aspiring nursing students, Jamison advises them to “do what makes you happy, follow your passion, and find where you are most needed.” She hopes to leave a legacy as someone who was always there. “Whether it be for my patients, colleagues, or students, I want them to know that I am there for them. I’m very attentive to communication; it is the single most important thing that we do as educators and as nurses.” When students work with Jamison, they are aware of the high expectations she holds for them to excel, her transparency, and her care: “being true to the profession of nursing and having those high standards is what they’ll come away from with me.”
Jamison’s career has always been about the betterment of others, whether it be her patients or her students. Nursing may have chosen her, but Jamison openly welcomed the challenges, the changes, and the achievements along the way in helping students succeed and improving the health of patients. She will stay on as a consultant for the next year and mentor the two new nursing directors. She will continue working as a nurse practitioner in cardiovascular surgery one day a week and is not leaving nursing, simply the role of a director and staying on as a consultant.
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