UAB Nursing would like to congratulate the latest nurse residents on completing their program. The nurse residency is a comprehensive, 12-month program for newly licensed nurses that helps them transition into more competent clinical practice.

When Latrice Quinn walked through the doors of UAB Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology for the first time, she was not an employee but a patient. What she didn’t know then was that the compassionate care she received would inspire her to return, not as a patient, but as a vital part of the team, ensuring other mothers felt just as supported as she had.

We are pleased to announce that Nathaniel H. Robin, M.D., professor in the UAB Heersink School of Medicine Department of Genetics, has been appointed director of Clinical Genetics and Genomics Services at UAB Medicine.

Each year, hundreds of patients visit the Amputee Clinic at UAB Spain Rehabilitation Center to be fit for prostheses after complications of diabetes, motor vehicle accidents and a wide range of other conditions. A new grant from UAB’s Health Services Foundation-General Endowment Fund awards program is funding the purchase of an advanced 3D printer that will allow those patients to receive their prostheses faster, at lower cost and with an even better fit, says the clinic’s director, Conley Carr, M.D. The printer will also produce custom orthoses for UAB patients needing braces after a stroke or other condition, he adds.

The Nursing Communication HCAHPS performance domain is a key measure of delivering excellent care and achieving high levels of patient satisfaction. Congratulations to the units listed below on earning Level 5 scores in Nursing Communication for the entire FY24 measurement period! Your hard work and dedication directly contributed to the highest levels of satisfaction among UAB Medicine patients and visitors.

Marlena Smith, DNP, RN-BC, LSSGB, received the 2024 Cindajo Overton Outstanding Nurse Educator Award from the Alabama State Nurses Association (ASNA). Presented at the ASNA annual convention in October, the annual award recognizes excellence in teaching in an academic or service setting.

One Saturday morning in June, Jamie Smith, 47, began her shift at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital. What Smith thought would be a normal day led to her waking up in a hospital bed three days later.

UAB Hospital once again was rated as high-performing in U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Hospitals for Maternity Care” 2025 survey, which is the highest possible rating.

As patients walk through the halls in the University of Alabama at Birmingham Spain Rehabilitation Center, they may encounter UAB’s newest canine colleague — a 2-year-old golden retriever named Topgun. Topgun is UAB’s first facility dog. He joined the SRC team in May and has already become a favorite among UAB Medicine patients and employees.

For the second year in a row, the American Association for Men in Nursing (AAMN) has recognized UAB Medicine as a Best Workplace for Men in Nursing. It was one of only three hospitals to receive this honor for 2024.

UAB Hospital has earned Magnet designation for the sixth consecutive time from the American Nurses Credentialing Center Magnet Recognition Program®. Nursing teams across multiple units and clinics celebrated the honor with a traveling cart party, complete with candy, snacks, giveaways, and carts decorated to enhance the occasion.

The path to a career in medicine and health care is unique for every person. For some, the first spark of interest occurred while they were answering the call for a different kind of service in the military. In advance of Veterans Day, UAB Medicine magazine talked with several military veterans at the UAB Heersink School of Medicine to learn how their time in the armed forces impacted their professional lives and their journeys to medicine. With a unique blend of experience, dedication, and compassion, they continue to make a profound impact on the lives of others, embodying the true spirit of sacrifice.