The Nursing Department and John Carroll University would like to welcome the Cleveland Council of Black Nurses (CCBN) to campus! CCBN has been a leader in community advocacy, health equity promotion, and has provided speakers on healthcare disparities in the greater Cleveland area for 50 years. Some of their initiatives include holding conferences and workshops on brain health, hypertension, and stroke health in addition to holding blood pressure clinics in the community. John Carroll University Director of Nursing & Strategic Health Integration, Dr. Melissa Cole states, “CCBN has such a rich history in Cleveland and is excited to have such great leaders and advocates here on campus enriching our student experience.” CCBN is also a leader in healthcare advocacy and is involved in policy meetings and roundtables with politicians on the local and national level to address multiple healthcare disparities affecting the black community.
CCBN will hold their board, committee, and membership meetings on John Carroll’s campus and will host nursing student success workshops, and continuing education workshops. Our campus will also provide an avenue for CCBN recruitment and retention of student members and membership drives. Nursing students who join CCBN are mentored and supported and have the opportunity to work with nurses who have advanced education and experience in various areas of nursing. CCBN President, LaTonya Martin shared that, “CCBN members and associates are leaders in their field and will have the momentum to encourage leadership, mentoring, and collaborative skills in our upcoming and current nurses.” She believes that engaging nurses in civic duties will inspire more of our nurses to become leaders and changemakers in the field.
Martin believes, “JCU will be a great catalyst and partner in capturing a diverse audience of nursing students and healthcare as well as non-healthcare professionals who support the mission of CCBN and the mission of the JCU nursing program. Being in close contact with nursing students will help capture, motivate and elevate nursing students.”
Martin and Cole agree that as partners, CCBN and JCU have a synergistic relationship and together can increase diversity in nursing, improve health equity and inclusion in both the health and education sectors.
Welcome Cleveland Council of Black Nurses! We are excited to have you!
Learn more about John Carroll’s new Nursing program at BSN.jcu.edu