Monthly Archives: April 2018

College of Health Sciences conducts Poverty Simulation for faculty and staff

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Running around a crowded gym carrying paper money and wearing a nametag detailing the role they were given, nearly 100 Belmont College of Health Sciences and Nursing (CHSN) faculty and staff filled the Sports Science Center on Wednesday, April 25 to participate in the Community Action Poverty Simulation (CAPS). Booths representing community agencies (social services, school, the bank, a pawn shop and more) lined the walls as participants assumed their roles. Some were experiencing homeless, others represented single parents and even more participated as families with many children — all simulating exactly what it is to live in poverty across America. Continue reading →

Nursing & Pharmacy Students Volunteer at Project Cure

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Students and faculty volunteer at Project Cure

A group of 22 pharmacy and nursing students and Associate Professor of Nursing Dr. Jamie Adam recently volunteered with Project Cure. In less than three hours, the team unloaded five pallets and sorted, organized and boxed more than $12,000 in medical supplies.

Project Cure’s local volunteer coordinator commented that the group was remarkable and accomplished more than many other teams that have donated time there. She highlighted that the group’s knowledge of medical supplies was an asset.

Adam said, “This was a wonderful opportunity for nursing and pharmacy students to come together to make a tangible impact for patients in need across the world.”

The opportunity was made possible through the connection of Assistant Professor Nursing Jean Blank. She and her husband have been core volunteers with Project Cure for years.

Dr. Diaz-Cruz receives Faculty Achievement Award

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Dr. Edgar Diaz-Cruz, smiling in his regaliaDr. Edgar Diaz-Cruz, a faculty member in the College of Pharmacy, was awarded the 2017-18 Presidential Faculty Achievement Award by Belmont University. The Presidential Faculty Achievement Award is presented each year to a faculty member who has made outstanding contributions to student life outside the classroom. The award honors and recognizes excellence in faculty-student relationships, special abilities in meeting student needs – academic, personal and professional – and symbolizes Belmont University’s commitment to being a student-centered institution. A former student described Diaz-Cruz’s influence on his studies and career as such: “There are endless positive things one can say about Dr. D-C, not the least of which is, ‘He was present.’”

Physical Therapy Students Host Health Fair, Educate Elementary Students

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large group of fourth graders with their teachers, standing in front of the fountain

three fourth graders, wrapped in toilet paper, standing with a professorBelmont’s physical therapy (PT) class of 2019 recently provided a health fair for 100 fourth grade students from East Cheatham Elementary School. The PT students in Dr. Pat Sells Health and Wellness Class prepared lesson plans and activities for a variety of health and wellness related topics.

The kids were exposed to topics such as bone health, lung health, stress management and physical activity. The PT students have been providing this health fair for numerous years, teaching lessons to over 1,000 elementary students.

Graduate Nursing Students Participate in Interdisciplinary PDC Design Summit

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Students participants standing with their poster presentations.

Last weekend, four Belmont graduate nursing students participated in a hospital design challenge with teams of architecture, engineering and construction management students from across the nation as part of the PDC Design Summit in Nashville. The PDC Summit brings together senior leaders working in all disciplines of health care planning, design and construction to learn, network and discover ways to create value for the health care built environment.

Each year, as part of that conference, students participate on interprofessional teams to design a health care structure (within 48 hours) and compete as part of a juried experience. As the first year that nursing students were included in the experience, Belmont’s students were supported by the Nursing Institute of Health Care Design. They designed a micro-hospital to be built in the Gulch and were introduced to the project at their host architect firm’s office, Earl Swensson Associates and visited the construction site prior to the design process.

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Dr. Erin Behnen named as Associate Dean of Assessment and Academic Affairs for the College of Pharmacy

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Dr. Erin Behnen headshot

Following a nationwide search, Belmont University’s College of Pharmacy has announced that Dr. Erin Behnen has been named as Associate Dean of Assessment and Academic Affairs. Behnen will begin her appointment in June.

Coming to Belmont from her current role as Assistant Provost for Academic Innovation and Effectiveness at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, Behnen has worked in many roles during her 13 years on SIUE’s campus. Prior to her time in the Provost’s Office, she served as the University’s School of Pharmacy’s Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs and Assessment Coordinator and directed the School’s Drug Information and Wellness Center.

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Health Sciences and Nursing Faculty, Students Attend Conversations on Health in Nashville Event as Invited Guests

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Faculty and students from Belmont’s College of Health Sciences and Nursing were recently invited guests for a presentation and small group discussion at the Metro Health Department. As part of the new ‘Conversations on Health in Nashville’ speaker series, Senior Vice President of Healthy Communities at The California Endowment Dr. Tony Iton spoke about the impact that where you live has on individual health.

More information on this event can be found here. 

Image (from L to R): Dr. Cathy Taylor, dean of the Gordon E. Inman College of Health Sciences and Nursing; occupational therapy doctorate students Karon Uzzell-Baggett (Class of 2019) and Leah Carlisle (Class of 2018); Dr. Iton and Dr. Sanmi Areola, Metro Public Health Department deputy director

Social Work Students Win Annual Day on the Hill Event

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social work studentsEach spring, Belmont sends its junior social work majors to compete in the annual Day on the Hill event, which allows a chosen representative from the group to present a summary of a bill that is on the Tennessee Legislative Assembly Agenda. This year, under the guidance of Dr. Jenny Crowell, instructor in the department of social work, the team won the event.

The competition consists of social work students from across the state. The Belmont group, with Lauren Barnhart as their speaker, discussed the importance of the bill the allow the creation of recovery high schools. The bill was recently signed by the governor.