Pharmacy students completed their toy drive for Operation Christmas Child which resulted in collecting 52 shoe boxes filled with toys for children around the world. Thanks to all students, staff and faculty who contributed. The event was sponsored by CPFI. The class that turned in the most shoe boxes were the P1’s with 32 boxes! Thanks to Dr. Hagan (pictured here with Dr. Chirico) who supported the shipping costs for the entire P1 class!
Monthly Archives: November 2011
Pharmacy student receives national service award
Barnwell (right) poses for pictures with two classmates after receiving their white coats in 2010.
John Barnwell, a 3rd-year student in the PharmD program at Belmont, has received the Respect, Excellence and Service in Pharmacy (RESPy) Award for excellence in pharmaceutical care. The national award is presented by Walmart and Pharmacy Times to a student who has made a difference in his or her community demonstrated by the following criteria: voluntary public service activities, a high level of professional/public health-related activities outside the classroom and a high level of effort to advance the profession of pharmacy in the public area. Eight RESPy award winners are chosen annually and featured with an article in Pharmacy Times. RESPy winners receive a cash award and are offered a summer internship with Walmart.
Barnwell, who will graduate from the School of Pharmacy in 2013, is a founding officer of the board of directors of NotAlone.com, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing counseling for veterans with post traumatic stress disorder and their families. NotAlone.com offers online support groups, in-person counseling, and Web resources to support combat veterans and their loved ones.
Barnwell (in white coat) teaches students during this past summer's health sciences camp.
The stresses of military service are something that Barnwell understands well. He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point with a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and subsequently served almost 8 years in the Army. He held a variety of positions at Fort Campbell in Kentucky and in Iraq, and was decorated with a Bronze Star and Joint Service Achievement Award for his service.
“NotAlone is such a rewarding endeavor,” says Barnwell. “Being a veteran myself, anything I can do to make life better for soldiers, veterans, and their families gives me a great sense that I am still making a difference for my brothers- and sisters-in-arms.”
Dr. Philip Johnston, Dean of the School of Pharmacy, congratulated Barnwell on receiving the RESPy, saying, “Mr. Barnwell offers his abundant energy and leadership to his profession on a daily basis; he is an inspiration to everyone. I cannot think of any one more deserving”.
The Pharmacy Times article featuring Barnwell is linked here and reprinted below.
Harvey presents at national nurse practitioner conference
Dr. Carrie Harvey, Associate Professor in the School of Nursing, recently presented at the national clinical conference of the American College of Nurse Practitioners in Denver, Colorado. Over 200 health professionals attended her session entitled, “A Systematic Approach to 12 Lead ECG Interpretation.” The session provided the nurse practitioner with a systematic approach to interpreting the 12 lead ECG. Participants were briefed on major physiologic underpinnings using actual case studies and electrocardiograms. Normal and abnormal 12 lead ECGs were reviewed and a stepwise interpretation
approach was introduced.
Darr awarded grant from APTA
Dr. Nancy Darr, a professor in Belmont’s School of Physical Therapy, was recently awarded a grant from the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) Section of Pediatrics for her project titled, “Validation of the Pediatric Balance Scale using Rasch Analysis.”
The selection committee said that the grant was well written and that they will support the use of this “Pediatric Balance Scale” in Darr’s clinical pediatric practice.
Plummer is plenary speaker for European Seating Symposium
Dr Teresa Plummer, faculty member in the School of Occupational Therapy, was one of the invited plenary speakers for the European Seating Symposium held in Dublin Ireland earlier this month. Along with Mary Shea, MSOT from Kessler Rehabilitation in New Jersey, Dr Plummer presented the RESNA Practice Guide for the Wheelchair Assessment and Procurement Practice. This document was the outcome of a two year ad hoc committee group of 13 stakeholders from the US. The Practice Guide is and effort to provide structure for the provision of wheeled mobility. Dr Plummer attended several meeting discussing the education of occupational therapy students in the practice of wheelchair assessments.
Pharmacy students contribute to Guatemala City Surgical Center
During the past year, students from Belmont University School of Pharmacy have partnered with Nashville’s Shalom Foundation to renovate the organization’s surgical center and pharmacy in Guatemala City, Guatemala.
Last fall, fourth-year pharmacy student Chris McKnight worked with the foundation to design plans for the center’s pharmacy after the entire site underwent a renovation. Although Shalom had doctors, surgeons and nurses on the board to contribute, they didn’t have pharmacists to add to the conversation. McKnight became that voice.
After spending over a week working in the center, McKnight said one of his favorite parts was, “the processes of seeing the pharmacy go from my sketches on the backs of napkins, to fruition in Guatemala City.”
Sara Poe, another fourth year student in Belmont’s program, also had the opportunity to work with the foundation’s center. She was focused on the medicine patients were being prescribed and made daily rounds to ensure accuracy and the installation of proper protocol.
Poe also spoke to the experience of working in such a clinic. “I would say that best moments of the trip came from silence, for silence meant no one was in pain and all was well down the hall. That alone has made me a different person.”
PT student volunteers help coordinate two major community events
During the recent celebration of National Physical Therapy Month, approximately 100 Belmont University Physical Therapy students and faculty volunteered for the sixth annual “Dierks Bentley Miles & Music for Kids” event. Bentley and more than 1,700 people gathered for his annual charity motorcycle ride to benefit Vanderbilt’s Children Hospital and the Children’s Miracle Network. The ride began at the Columbia Springs Harley Davidson and ended at Riverfront Park in downtown Nashville.
The event ended with a concert by Bentley and some friends (Eli Young Band, Charles Kelley from Lady Antebellum, Colt Ford and Josh Thompson entertaining thousands of fans at Riverfront Park. Event Coordinator Mandy McClister said, “It was definitely another great year, and again we could not have done it without the students from the Belmont University School of PT! The students worked harder this year than ever before to make this a success. The leadership should be proud of the way they have represented the University.”
Bentley was also impressed with the volunteers. “We could not have taken this event to the level it now is without the help of my friend Mike Voight and his students at Belmont University School of Physical Therapy. The Belmont students have been integral to the success of this event from the inaugural ride six years ago to its current size. I look forward to working with them again in the future,” Bentley said.
Since the inception of this annual event, $2 million has been raised to benefit the Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital and the Children’s Miracle Network.
Just one week later, Belmont’s School of Physical Therapy brought more than 100 student volunteers to the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure at the Maryland Farms YMCA. With 14,000 racers and more than 10,000 spectators, the volunteers were needed to assist with course setup and takedown, serve as course marshals at the start and finish line, hand out water at course stations and help manage the crowd.
Megan Tisdale, a third-year physical therapy student and student organizer of the volunteer efforts, had a special connection with the event and the people it serves. “Since my mother has breast cancer, I think it’s very important to present people with great opportunities to come together to celebrate life and give to support a cause that is near and dear to millions of hearts… The reward is seeing people come together with passion they have for a loved one.”
The Komen affiliate members, as well as the event management group, were thankful for the dedicated volunteers who participated in the event. “The Belmont team of volunteers from the School of PT made a huge difference to this year’s race,” said Komen Executive Director Patty Harman. “The Race wouldn’t have been so successful without them. We had more people participating this year than ever before, and Belmont jumped in to do whatever was needed to make it a wonderful experience for each person. We can’t thank them enough for all they did.”
Marc Overlock, chairman of the board for the Komen Affiliate, added , “Thank you so much for your every effort, through planning efforts, logistical team packing and mailing and hand-outs, and last but not least Race Village clean up. The Board, Komen Staff and I owe you everything. Please know we today honor your gift of time.”