Tai Hintz

Tai Hintz is currently pursuing a master’s degree in nursing with a Family Nurse Practitioner focus at Tennessee Tech University. She is one of many who are utilizing the online master’s degrees programs to further her education and career.  

Hintz graduated from Tech in May of 2017 with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. She works as a registered nurse in the cardiovascular intensive care unit at Tri-Star Centennial Medical Center in Nashville.

“Tai is exactly what nursing needs right now! She is impeccably professional, possesses a voracious curiosity to learn and is compassionate,” Melissa Geist, professor, Whitson-Hester School of Nursing. 

Hintz is originally from Greeneville, but now resides in Spring Hill with her husband. She learned about Tech’s master’s program during her time in the undergraduate nursing program.

“I had a wonderful experience my first time at Tech, and the undergrad program had prepared me well to be a nurse, so I knew I could trust Tech again with my graduate studies,” Hintz said. 

Hintz works with the Education Support Training Awareness Resources Sanos initiative, a unique health resource available to regional rural and Hispanic communities. ESTAR Sanos started in 2020 to address vaccine hesitancy experienced by the rural and Hispanic communities in the Upper Cumberland.

“Tia is a driving factor for the success of the ESTAR Sanos initiative,” Geist said. “She helps students learn about mis/disinformation in healthcare, participates in community outreach efforts, and contributes significantly to reports required by our granting agencies.”

After graduation and state boards exams, Hintz plans to work as a family nurse practitioner. Her hope is to work in a family practice setting “to help people throughout their lifespan live happy and healthy lives.” 

“I definitely believe Tech’s master’s program is preparing me well for my future career,” Hintz said.  “Through my clinical rotations, I have already been able to see how much I have learned and grown through this program.” 

For Hintz, like most graduate students, balancing careers and school can be a challenge.

“I have been fortunate to be able to drop down on my work requirements to be PRN at the hospital so that I can focus my attention on my graduate studies and future career,” Hintz said. 

Hintz credits her best experience thus far while working on her master’s degree as the opportunity she had to be a graduate assistant to Geist. 

“I have loved learning from her as we have sought to promote health and wellness to communities in the Upper Cumberland,” Hintz said. 

Hintz has found the MSN program at Tech manageable as well as informative. The professors provide opportunities to come to campus to practice hands-on skills, which is so valuable heading into clinicals, according to Hintz.  

“I would highly encourage anyone who is considering a career in nursing, or who is looking to further their nursing career, to look no further than Tennessee Tech,” Hintz said. “The education and opportunities I have received through Tech have been invaluable, and I will always be grateful.”

For more information on master’s degree programs at Tech visit https://www.tntech.edu/graduatestudies/.