UNLV Nursing Program Earns National Praise for Senior Care Initiative

LAS VEGAS, NV — The UNLV School of Nursing’s “Caregiver Program” has reached a major milestone this week, as founder Kathleen Thimsen was honored with the 2026 Community Engagement Service-Learning Award. The program is being recognized for its dual impact: providing nursing students with specialized training while simultaneously flooding the local workforce with certified caregivers.

The “Three D’s” and Harm Reduction

Developed in partnership with Cleveland Clinic Nevada, the curriculum focuses on the most critical gaps in elder care.

Beyond the Basics: While the course covers essential hygiene and vital signs, it prioritizes the “three D’s” of geriatric health: dementia, delirium, and depression.
Intentional Care: Thimsen’s research found that nearly 57% of local elder abuse cases were not malicious but were instead the result of “knowledge deficits” among untrained caregivers. This program serves as a direct intervention, providing the skills necessary to manage high-risk conditions safely at home.

Bridging the Workforce Gap

The results of the program have been transformative for the local economy and the vulnerable populations it serves:

94% Job Placement: Nearly every graduate of the three-day intensive course secured a professional caregiving role within 30 days of completion.
Career Pathways: Graduates are provided with scrubs, stethoscopes, and CPR certification at no cost, often serving as a first step into higher education or a stable healthcare career for those in underserved communities.

“By mentoring community members one-on-one, our nursing students are not just learning clinical skills—they are learning how to lead and educate,” said Thimsen. The program even expanded this year to include a full Spanish-language translation to better serve the diverse multigenerational households of the valley.

Source: UNLV News Center, Las Vegas HEALS.