Monthly Archives: March 2013

College of Pharmacy Coordinates Easter Egg Hunt at Renewal House

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Students and faculty from the College of Pharmacy recently participated in the third annual Easter egg hunt held for children who reside at Renewal House. Approximately 40 children received colorful baskets and filled them with Easter eggs, candy and toys from the hunt.

Laura Berlind, chief executive officer of Renewal House said, “I just love this event that Belmont pharmacy students put on for us each year. It is a great opportunity for our families to bond and enjoy their day together.”

Renewal House serves women who have the disease of addiction. Health professionals within Renewal House work to preserve the family structure by fostering healing and resiliency among those affected by addiction. In addition they promote  recovery to enhance the overall health of the family.

Huddleston Has Article Published

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Holly Huddleston, instructor of sport science, had an article published, “Corporate Fitness Members’ Perceptions of the Environment and Their Intrinsic Motivation” in the journal Revista de Psicologia del Deporte, in 2012 (Volume 21).  The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship of employees’ perceptions of the motivational climate in their corporate fitness center to their intrinsic motivation toward exercise, and their perceptions of their employer’s concern for their health behaviors.  Coauthors were Dr. Mary Fry and Theresa Brown, of the University of Kansas.

High School students job shadow at College of Pharmacy

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Dean Phil Johnston and Assistant Professor Edgar S. Diaz-Cruz operate a simulation lab mannequin.

Hillsboro High School students visited the College of Pharmacy March 20 as part of a job shadowing program designed to expose them to the pharmacy profession and expand student interest in the pharmaceutical field.

“Health care and pharmacy are changing now, and the industry wants to be prepared. PharmD is a terminal degree and a commitment. The high school age group is good to target because they will know whether this is for them or not,” said Assistant Professor Edgar S. Diaz-Cruz, who serves as an advisory board member for Hillsboro’s Global Health Academy. “High school students also can gain valuable experience as a certified technician, and we want to expose them to that. This was a chance for them to see our facilities and research labs and get to interact with our students and faculty.”

The job shadow day was made possible in part by the Walgreens Diversity Donation award, which aims to recruit minorities to the pharmaceutical field.

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Three faculty members from the health sciences nominated for University faculty awards

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Three health science faculty members, two from the College of Health Sciences and another from the College of Pharmacy, have been nominated as finalists for two Belmont University faculty awards.

Dr. Renee Brown, Professor of Physical Therapy, and Julie Hunt, Assistant Professor of Social Work, are two of four finalists for the 2012-13 Chaney Distinguished Professor Award.  This is the highest honor presented annually to a Belmont faculty member.  The award will be presented during graduation festivities in May.

In addition, Dr. Kelley Kiningham, Assistant Dean in the College of Pharmacy, is a finalist for the second consecutive year for the Presidential Faculty Achievement Award for 2012-13.  The award will be presented at Scholarships and Awards Day in April.  The Presidential Faculty Achievement Award recognizes excellence in helping to make Belmont University a student-centered community through their support of our students outside of the classroom.

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PT Professor interviewed about golf fitness in The Tennessean

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Dr. Mike Voight, professor of physical therapy at Belmont University, was featured today in the sports pages of the Tennessean (http://www.tennessean.com/article/20130312/SPORTS11/303120022/2072/SPORTS).  Rich Hayes interviewed Voight and Lance Gill, the head athletic trainer at the Titleist Performance Institute in Oceanside, CA for his Midstate Golf Notebook which is featured regularly in the paper.   He inquired about golf fitness.  Voight also serves as a consultant with Titleist Performance Institute.

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Mission to Guatemala: Day 6

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Mission to Guatemala
from Lisa Haack

A team of students, faculty and partners from Belmont University’s School of Occupational Therapy and School of Physical Therapy are ministering in Guatemala during Belmont’s spring break, the seventh year a team has traveled there.

Buenos dias! After all of our hard work this week, we spent Friday in Antigua having fun.  We went to the Filadelfia coffee plantation where most of us got to see coffee plants for the first time.  We took an adventurous ride up to the top of one of the mountains and took the zip line course down.  The view along the zip line course was amazing! It was such a perfect and beautiful day.  We enjoyed a delicious lunch there at the café and then headed off to the market to go shopping. The market was a bit overwhelming, but we all learned how to barter to get the best deals on our souvenirs and gifts.  To end the day, we went out to dinner with our translators at a steak house, Hacienda Real.  The food was incredible.  We were all sad to say good-bye to the wonderful translators and drivers who took care of us this week.  Our last night at the Nazarene Center was rather interesting.  Apparently a new group of Guatemalan teenagers are having a retreat here this weekend and they kicked it off with a big party, which sounded more like mob preparing to attack us.  They eventually quieted down for a few hours and we got a couple of hours of sleep.  We are sleep-deprived and preparing to load up to head to the airport.  We had an amazing week here in Guatemala.  God showed up and did incredible things through us.  It has been a wonderful time, but we are excited to get back home!  See you soon!!!

Dean Johnston represents College of Pharmacy with Chinese Health Executives

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On Thurs., March 7,  Assistant Provost for Interdisciplinary and Global Studies Dr. Mimi Barnard and College of Pharmacy Dean Dr. Phil Johnston attended a meeting facilitated by the Nashville Health Care Council to meet and begin networking with Chinese health executives.  The executives are interested in learning about Nashville’s business and health care community.  Belmont expressed their interest in opportunities in research, education, training and future exchange of faculty and student representatives.

The executives represented the following organizations:

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Mission to Guatemala: Day 5

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Mission to Guatemala
from Carolyn and Markus

A team of students, faculty and partners from Belmont University’s School of Occupational Therapy and School of Physical Therapy are ministering in Guatemala during Belmont’s spring break, the seventh year a team has traveled there.

Today we went to Magdalena Milpas Altas, Sacatepequez, to Karamion which is a center for children with disabilities. First we met with the directors, who are husband and wife, and learned all about the center. They started it on their own and gave up everything, including their home, in order to help children. They don’t have any support, but trust in God to provide.  It was great to see such an awesome demonstration of faith and obedience to God’s will. We split into groups to start therapy and worked with children with different types of disabilities: autism, torticollis, Down’s Syndrome, meningitis, and spina bifida. I worked with a little girl with spina bifida with the help of Jessica, PT and some more of the OT/PT team. We worked on prone lying, trunk extension and postural balance reactions on a therapy ball, and ball catching for stability and balance. Continue reading →

Mission to Haiti: Day 6

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Mission to Haiti
from Marie Peters, Robin Cobb & Robin Queen

A team of students and faculty from Belmont University School of Nursing is ministering in Haiti during Belmont’s Spring Break.  This is the second year a team has traveled there.

Bonjour!

What a magical end to our Haitian journey….

We began the day with a traditional pumpkin soup, usually reserved for new years day. During slavery, the soup was reserved for wealthy land owners however after the revolution it became a symbol of the Hatian people’s independence. Our final clinic was in Nantiso, just a short ride from our bungalows along a river garden.  After leaving the trucks behind, we carried the clinic equipment by foot along a path through lush banana trees and fields planted with corn and green beans. After setting up shop in a local’s front yard, we began our assessments. After a week in this country, we all are feeling more comfortable with the process including communicating in our broken Creole. Over 60 patients were seen by lunch time including a seizure patient and a young woman with TB suffering from a throat cyst that prevented her from eating. We also saw the usual procession of stunning Hatian children and cherubic infants that steal our hearts on a daily basis.

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Mission to Guatemala: Day 4

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Mission to Guatemala
from Joe Muchmore

A team of students, faculty and partners from Belmont University’s School of Occupational Therapy and School of Physical Therapy are ministering in Guatemala during Belmont’s spring break, the seventh year a team has traveled there.

Another exciting day for Team Catalyst. After a two-hour scenic drive, we spent the day with the wonderful staff and children of the JT Children’s Foundation. The JT Children’s Foundation provides therapeutic services for children with disabilities and their families who reside in the Tecpan, Guatemala area. They preach the importance of a holistic approach to healing and this is evident in their practice. After learning about the organization, we had the privilege of watching a performance that was prepared through music therapy sessions with a group of children. The performers graciously invited us to join and we happily danced and laughed with our new friends. Continue reading →

Mission to Haiti: Day 5

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Mission to Haiti
from Cory Smeltzer, Rebecca Senn, Jordan Bennett and Sara Demaagd

A team of students and faculty from Belmont University School of Nursing is ministering in Haiti during Belmont’s Spring Break.  This is the second year a team has traveled there.

We were once again blessed with a great day! Breakfast this morning consisted of boiled eggs, hotdogs, and our daily delicious cup of Haitian coffee. Then we traveled the familiar route to Siloe to pick up more supplies for today’s clinic.  Half of the group went up the mountain in the back of the truck, driven by our favorite driver, Johnson.  The other half of us stayed back at the pharmacy/school and were able to watch the children begin their school day, opening with the singing of “How Great Thou Art.”  We witnessed the punishment of kneeling on the pavement for the tardy students. Our trusty driver/translator drove the second half of the group back up the mountain without too many additional bumps and bruises.

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Mission to Guatemala: Day 3

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Mission to Guatemala
from Katie Hein and Julie Golden

A team of students, faculty and partners from Belmont University’s School of Occupational Therapy and School of Physical Therapy are ministering in Guatemala during Belmont’s spring break, the seventh year a team has traveled there.

Today was full of adventures! We visited 4 different loactions. In the morning we went to the Children’s Rehab Hospital and the Guatemala Association for People with Down’s Syndrome.  Then in the afternoon we went to Hope for Tomorrow/Nutrition Center and Las Conchas.

The Children’s Rehab Hospital Day 2- We met little Carlos, Kenneth and his wife to have little Carlos casted for AFO’s. Meanwhile, the rest of us participated in the morning therapy sessions (OT/FT- fisotherapy (PT)). The Guatemalan FT’s asked us for help with an exercise program for Christopher, one of the boys who suffered from Meningitis and is extremely weak. The only thing they have done for him in the past month is have him on tilting board to have him in a vertical position for 30 min. Lisa and Jessica (DPTs) evaluated his lower extremity and trunk strength, range of motion, and vestibular-occular system. He was getting bored with laying down, so  we sat him up to work on strengthening and postural control.  He was automatically happier and willingly participated in the activities.

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Mission to Haiti: Day 4

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Mission to Haiti
from Katelyn Walker, Rebecca Senn and Sarah Demaagd

A team of students and faculty from Belmont University School of Nursing is ministering in Haiti during Belmont’s Spring Break.  This is the second year a team has traveled there.

After yesterday, today doesn’t seem as adventurous. Unfortunately we weren’t able to take the truck to their village because Hurricane Sandy washed out the road. The few people (about 20) who did come to our clinic walked over an hour and were very grateful for our care and attention. Again, we saw a variety of ages from children to older adults, and even a pregnant woman.  Afterwards, we walked down the mountain to see a special patient who suffers with heart failure whom Jenny has personally treated at her home for the past year due to the severity of her illness.  The walk was definitely a nice break from the bumpy rides, and it also gave us a chance to view the beautiful, mountainous scenery.

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Mission to Guatemala: Day 2

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Mission to Guatemala
from Darcy King

A team of students, faculty and partners from Belmont University’s School of Occupational Therapy and School of Physical Therapy are ministering in Guatemala during Belmont’s spring break, the seventh year a team has traveled there.

In order to beat rush hour traffic our group got an early start with breakfast at 7:00a.m.  Even though we thought we had an early start, we know that the Shalom Foundation staff were hard at work long before we got out of bed.  Today was the first day we experienced the weather we had been anticipating.  The sun was out in full force and many of us got a little more than our fair share.  Our first destination for the day was a children’s rehab hospital.  The hospital staff gave us a tour of the facility and then we broke up into our respective professions to participate in therapy sessions.  We had the unique opportunity to collaborate with the OTs and PTs at this rehab center in order to exchange ideas and share information.  This was a humbling learning experience for clinicians and students alike.  During the OT sessions we observed how they conducted group therapy sessions, learned about how they taught families to make piñatas to be sold as a source of income, and had the opportunity to work one on one with many of the children.

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Mission to Haiti: Day 3

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Mission to Haiti
from Emily Morse, Robin Cobb and Cory Smeltzer

A team of students and faculty from Belmont University School of Nursing is ministering in Haiti during Belmont’s Spring Break.  This is the second year a team has traveled there.

Why did the chicken cross the road? To get out of the way of our Tap Tap!

Today was an adventure, to say the least! We started the day with a pasta-salad-with-mystery-meat breakfast and freshly squeezed orange juice. (A clarification on the meat from yesterday’s lunch – We found out some people had beef, some people had chicken, and some had goat!)

We left the compound bright and early and picked up supplies where we met our tap tap driver. When we told some girls on the street that what our plan for the day included, they couldn’t stop laughing. We didn’t realize what was in store. The tap tap was a 1980’s model Nissan pick up with benches in the back and a low ceiling camper top… and it should be mentioned not many Haitian vehicles have special Mountain Climbing tires!

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Mission to Haiti: Day 2

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Mission to Haiti
from Robin Queen, Rebecca Senn and Marie Peters

A team of students and faculty from Belmont University School of Nursing is ministering in Haiti during Belmont’s Spring Break.  This is the second year a team has traveled there.

Today we woke up to a little more overcast and cloudy day, although it was still warm and beautiful.  In fact , it was a relief to have it be a bit cooler.  We started this morning with a more traditional American breakfast of cereal–no exciting Haitian spaghetti today! Then we gathered our stuff for the day and walked from the bungalows, parading through the town of Grand Goave to the Siloe campus for the dedication of the Grand Goave Baptist Church.

We stood to the side as the church congregation lined up outside and the choir sung just before the ribbon cutting. Although everything was spoken in Creole we recognized  some of the readings and some of the songs. This community of people have so much joy and expression when they sing.  It is contagious. Then, we processed into the church and were invited to sit in the very front pew! The church was incredibly gracious and grateful. The service was conducted with a translator throughout so we were able to participate. They even provided us with hymnals so that we could sing the Creole songs. We were able to hear two groups of young Haitians from different churches perform for us.

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Mission to Guatemala: Day 1

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Mission to Guatemala
from Lisa Haack

A team of students, faculty and partners from Belmont University’s School of Occupational Therapy and School of Physical Therapy are ministering in Guatemala during Belmont’s spring break, the seventh year a team has traveled there.

All three flights came into Guatemala without problems Saturday.  Much to our surprise everyone “passed” immigration and no pat-downs were required.  Guatemala welcomed us with weather that reminded us of home…45 degrees and windy!  Burr!!!  In contrast, the reception was warm and we all settled into our rooms.  We were grateful for the amenities including flushable toilets and a warm shower.  It was a restful sleep with an occasional celebratory fireworks launched from near-by. 😉

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Mission to Haiti: Day 1

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Mission to Haiti
from Jordan Bennett, Cory Smeltzer and Sara Demaagd

A team of students and faculty from Belmont University School of Nursing is ministering in Haiti during Belmont’s Spring Break.  This is the second year a team has traveled there.

Hello all! What an incredible first full day in Grand Goave, Haiti!  Our day was as full and busy as it was hot.  We began with a traditional Haitian breakfast: spaghetti! It was actually quite delicious, we are considering bringing this tradition home to the states.  After breakfast we got to ride in the back of a pick up truck through the little town of Grand Goave to the Siloe school and church.

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Mission to Haiti: We have arrived

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Mission to Haiti
from Katelyn Walker

A team of students and faculty from Belmont University School of Nursing is ministering in Haiti during Belmont’s Spring Break.  This is the second year a team has traveled there.

After some delay in Miami, we finally arrived with no problems a little after 1 p.m.  The journey to our destination was definitely an experience to say the least.  We were able to see much of Port Au Prince and many of the towns on the way to Grand Guave.  We are settled in and had a wonderful dinner with our hosts.  Tomorrow, Saturday, we are looking forward to helping out at the pharmacy and organizing meds for our upcoming days at our mobile clinics.

P.S. The caribbean is gorgeous, but the bugs definitely are not.

From your friends and family in Haiti!!!  We will update as we can, hopefully every evening.