MSN Grads extend “pass” streak for certification exam to six years

All of the most recent Belmont MSN graduates have passed the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s (ANCC) Family Nurse Practitioner certification exam on their first attempt. This is the sixth consecutive year that graduates of the School of Nursing’s MSN program have achieved a 100% first-attempt success rate on the national certification exam.
ANCC is the world’s largest and most prestigious nurse credentialing organization, and a subsidiary of the American Nurses Association (ANA). ANCC certification is accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies and the Accreditation Board for Specialty Nursing Certification. Their exams are a fair and accurate measure of professional competency. ANCC board certified nurses have met strong professional development standards, are in the greatest demand and command the highest salaries. Certification is accepted by governing boards, insurers, and the military.
The Master of Science in Nursing at Belmont University can be completed in 16 months attending full-time or in 28 months attending part-time. The director of the program, Dr. Leslie Higgins, has been an integral part of the program since its inception in 1994.

PT Student steps up for Special Kids

Katie Ritz, a second year physical therapy student, shares about some extra steps taken in her recent clinical at Special Kids. . . .

While doing my clinical at Special Kids in Murfreesboro, I was asked by my course instructor to think of an inservice or project that would identify a need at the clinic. I noticed that while working with the children, we often used stairs as a strengthening technique, but the 8 in stairs were too high for many of the kids. The therapists would improvise and use benches to create steps that were not as high, but the benches were not secure, and made a safety issue. I enlisted the assistance of my husband, and with the space guidelines from Special Kids, we designed the staircase with 4 3″ steps and 2 6″ steps and handrails at two different heights. My husband and I donated the material and built the steps in a weekend. It is a great feeling to know that the stairs now sit in Special Kids’ main gym and are utilized on a daily basis by many children!

OT Students Announce Pediatric Research Study

Belmont Occupational Therapy students Jessica Deal, Carleigh Evans, and Julie Kluska have announced a research study to assess the perceived need for pediatric aquatic therapy in Middle Tennessee. The study is being conducted under the supervision of two OT professors, Dr. Lorry Liotta-Kleinfeld and Dr. Jeanne Sowers.
The students are recruiting practicing pediatric occupational therapists to participate in the study through an anonymous and confidential survey.