College of Health Sciences and Nursing Receives ACE Grant, Hosts Stakeholder Summit

College of Health Sciences and Nursing hosted a Stakeholder Summit for their recent ACE grant receipt. A packed room began discussions surrounding the grant's use.

Belmont’s College of Health Sciences and Nursing recently hosted a Stakeholder Summit on campus to support the College’s Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) grant. Received from the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services, the grant provides funding for the development of three undergraduate educational modules for nursing, public health and social work students.

The Summit was held to survey area stakeholders on current gaps and recommendations for developing these modules. Speakers included the Deputy Commissioner Dr. Michael Warren from the State Health Department, Chief Medical Officer for HRSA/MCHB Dr. Aaron Lopata and Director of Community Development and Planning at Metro Health Department Tracy Buck.

Attendees discuss material at the ACE Stakeholder SummitIn addition to speakers, the event included opportunities for attendees to identify ACE topics to be included in Belmont’s new Educating Trauma Information Professionals Project. This project addresses the need to improve professional practices and promotes cross-fertilization among professions that touch children and families during sensitive periods of development and beyond. With no standard trauma-information care education model for undergraduates available, Belmont’s program seeks to create programming for health science students and identify and address knowledge and training needs among recent graduates and practicing professionals.

Dean of the College of Health Sciences and Nursing Dr. Cathy Taylor said, “We’re thrilled to receive this funding dedicated to enhancing multidisciplinary professional education and improving the health and well being of Tennessee’s children. Working with such esteemed partners toward achieving this common goal is sure to have long lasting impact.”

Nursing Students Featured in ‘Day in the Life of an Intern’ Story

Fresenius Medical Care North America (FMCNA) wanted to send a message to college students about how their internship program works, so they summoned three of their recent Belmont University interns to help tell the story. Chelsea Carter, Samantha Perkowski and Rachel Sutherland all served as Dialysis Clinic Interns in 2016 as a part of their studies in nursing.

The internship provided hands-on experience in the care of dialysis patients, an area where students don’t often have an opportunity for clinical practice. The FMCNA interviewed the students about some of the rewarding aspects of their internship experiences and had them describe a typical day of work, broken down into morning, mid-day and end-of-day routines. The students touched on the relationships they built with full-time employees and how their experiences at FMCNA contributed to their learning.

Check out the full feature here.