Students at the University of Oklahoma have continued to answer the call to fill the statewide nurse shortage. The Fran and Earl Ziegler College of Nursing is Oklahoma’s largest nursing program. It spans five sites: the University of Oklahoma’s Tulsa Schusterman Center; Lawton, housed on the Cameron University campus; Oklahoma City’s Health Sciences; and two sites that hold the special designation of being embedded within two regional hospitals – Duncan Regional Hospital and Norman Regional Health System.

This summer, the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry launched the state’s first pediatric dental residency, a two-year program that trains new dentists in the care of children, with a special emphasis on those with medical complexities and developmental conditions. In doing so, the college aims to grow the workforce of pediatric dentists in Oklahoma and increase access to comprehensive oral health care.

The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) has granted the University of Oklahoma Fran and Earl Ziegler College of Nursing accreditation for nursing continuing professional development. This accreditation demonstrates the college’s commitment to developing high-quality educational activities that promote nurses’ professional growth.

When a person experiences an injury or infection, the body’s immune system responds with inflammation to start the healing process. However, inflammation can occur in much less helpful circumstances – for example, when a person experiences psychological stress or consistently eats a poor diet high in sugars, fats and processed foods. When such inflammation occurs during pregnancy, it increases the risk of problems for the baby, particularly for neurodevelopmental disorders like ADHD, autism and learning disabilities. A University of Oklahoma researcher has earned a new grant from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund to explore how that risk occurs and whether there is a means of helping the fetus become more resilient to inflammation.

Research increasingly shows the health benefits of breastfeeding, including a reduced risk of obesity, diabetes, cancer and infections for the baby and a lower chance of hypertension, heart disease, obesity, diabetes and cancer for the mother. However, new mothers often need support to begin breastfeeding in the hospital and to continue after they go home. The University of Oklahoma recently earned a grant to provide that support to rural areas of the state.