Dr. Voight Participates in Warrick Medical Consensus Group

In August, Professor of Physical Therapy Dr. Mike Voight participated in the Warrick Medical Consensus Group that serves to establish world-wide guidelines in the diagnosis, management and rehabilitation of hip injuries. Most specifically, the Group works closely with the UK National Health trust to establish treatment guidelines.

As one of 18 invited experts from around the world, Voight provided insight in the rehabilitation of the hip following surgery.  he proceedings from this group will be published in an upcoming issue of the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

Dr. Voight Speaks at Sports Hip 18 Congress, Represents the US

Dr. Mike Voight, professor of physical therapy, recently served as an invited speaker at the Sports Hip 18 Congress held in the UK. With more than 300 hip surgeons and physical therapists from around the world in attendance, Voight who was one of 20 invited world-wide presenters (and represented the United States) who spoke on the importance of taking a good history in the diagnosis of hip pain.

Physical Therapy Students Get Involved with AbleYouth, Create a Legacy of Service

Rising second-year Belmont Physical Therapy students, Lauren Addison, Beau Kovach, Hannah Burkhart, Alex Tucker, Bella Zizzi and Katelyn Thies devoted part of their summer break to finding ways to get involved in the Middle Tennessee area. The class, as a whole, agreed in their first year on the importance of getting involved and giving back to the surrounding communities. Physical Therapy itself is a service profession and while the coursework of the program can be demanding, the class agreed it was important to find time to stay true to the service aspect as well.

Associate Professor of Physical Therapy Dr. Christi Williams reminds students within their first few weeks in the program, “It’s not about you, it’s about who you were put here to serve.” The now second year class has bought into this idea. There are several service events built into the program already, but these students wanted to find ways to serve even beyond those in which they were already participating.  To do this, a new position within the class was established, the community service chair, and student Lauren Addison quickly volunteered to fill this role given her passion for service activities and mission trips. Continue reading

Recent Physical Therapy Graduate Completes Unique Clinical Experience in Hippotherapy

Barbara Parks, PT student, with horse and child during therapy session

Recent graduate of Belmont’s physical therapy program Barbara Parks recently completed a unique clinical experience. With a life-long love for horses, Parks began volunteering at a PATH (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship) International Premier Accredited Center after finishing her undergraduate degree. It was that opportunity that sparked her interest in physical therapy.

“I went there to be around the horses, but once I started to get to know the kids and saw the incredible impact the horses had on them, I was hooked,” she said. “I saw children speak their first words and take their first steps after hippotherapy sessions. Hippotherapy is what made me decide to go back to school to become a physical therapist.” Continue reading

Graduate Nursing Students Provide Medical Services to Community Members

Graduate students from Belmont’s College of Health Sciences and Nursing have been volunteering throughout the community to provide well child exams and sports physicals to Nashvillians. A recent purchase of portable equipment has allowed students and faculty to travel throughout the city, providing essential care while ensuring students have access to meaningful clinical experiences.

Professor and Associate Dean of Nursing Dr. Martha Buckner said, “This is a beautiful example of innovative service-learning and the spirit of giving we see in our faculty and staff. Opportunities for clinical placements for FNP students are difficult to secure, especially in pediatrics. Our faculty found a way to use their own community engagement to provide much-needed services while also giving our students high quality learning experiences. We see this as an ongoing opportunity for our students to see how their passions can meet the world’s needs.” Continue reading

Dr. Bond Named to the Hospital Authority of Metro Nashville and Davidson County Board of Directors

Nashville Mayor David Briley recently appointed Assistant Professor of Nursing Dr. Loretta Bond to the Hospital Authority of Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County Board of Directors for a 5-yr term. The Hospital Authority of Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County was formed by City Charter in 1999 and is the governing body that oversees Nashville General Hospital at Meharry. Bond’s rich experience in practice and education, as well as her professional focus on health care disparities, made her an ideal candidate for this position.

Associate Dean of Nursing Dr. Martha Buckner said, “Dr. Bond has a heart for improving access to care for all. She teaches health care policy to our graduate nursing students and chairs the Government Affairs committee for the Tennessee Nurses Association. She has a deep understanding of the social determinants of health and I know she will serve our city beautifully. We are proud of her work.” Continue reading

Belmont Occupational, Physical Therapy Students Travel to Haiti to Partner with Local Organizations

In May 2018, Belmont University physical therapy students Samantha Cook and Julie Simpkins and occupational therapy students Mallory Boozer, Amber Sevier-Hunt, Cara Miller and Tori Hendricks traveled to Leogane, Haiti with College of Health Sciences and Nursing faculty Drs. Elena Wong Espiritu and Sabrina Salvant. The team partnered with Respire HaitimyLIFEspeaks and Faculte des Sciences de Rehabilitation de Leogane, an organization that has the first OT program in Haiti and only the second program for PT, with the first class scheduled to graduate in December 2019.

The service trip included multiple opportunities to learn and interact with other people as Belmont students collaborated with the FSRL students in learning about the similarities and differences in PT and OT in Haiti versus the US. At Respire and myLIFEspeaks, both groups of students built adaptive equipment out of PVC pipe and duct tape, planned and executed activities for children with special needs, provided fall risk assessments and led exercise groups for older adults. Belmont students led a discussion with first year FRSL students on OT and PT, and Espiritu facilitated a case study for the entire group. Continue reading

Belmont Announces Public Health Nurse Residency Program, Partnership with Tennessee Department of Health

The first of its kind in Tennessee, residency program created in direct response to an increased need for public health nursing capacity across the state

Belmont University announced today the creation of a Public Health Nurse Residency Program in partnership with the Tennessee Department of Health. After completing an 8-week public health nursing orientation, new graduate nurse residents will obtain clinical experience in their assigned health department (Maury or Montgomery County) with the support of a trained nurse mentor.

Jenny Dudzinski, of the Tennessee Department of Health, speaks as Belmont and Tennessee Department of Health team up to offer two Public Health Nurse Residencies at Belmont University

Representatives from the State of Tennessee’s
Public Health Department review this new
opportunity with students on campus

Residents will also participate in additional education experiences reflective of the 8 domains of community and public health nursing competencies including analytical and assessment, policy development and program planning, communication, cultural competency, community division of practice, public health sciences, financial management and management and leadership and systems thinking. A variety of development opportunities will be offered in each domain including attending Nurse Leadership Team meetings, observing policymaking at the state level and completing online trainings from public health resources, among other things. Continue reading

Physical Therapy Names Alumna Shearer Kidder as 2018 Outstanding Alumnus

Belmont’s School of Physical Therapy honored Dr. Melissa Shearer Kidder as this year’s Outstanding Alumnus during its 2018 Hooding Ceremony. Kidder graduated from Belmont School of PT in 2000 and is a board-certified orthopedic specialist currently serving as the orthopedic PT residency director at The Ohio State University’s Sport Medicine Physical Therapy program. Additionally, she is a lecturer in the Ohio State Division of Physical Therapy.

Kidder has done a number of national presentations related to teaching, learning and mentoring in clinical/residency education. She serves as an accreditation content expert and lead reviewer for the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education. In addition, she has been involved in several multi-site research projects.

Occupational Therapy Students Participate in Vanderbilt Consortium LEND

Third year Occupational Therapy Doctoral (OTD) students Taylor Johnson Jones and Mariah Horton were accepted as long-term trainees in the Vanderbilt Consortium LEND. Chair of the School of Occupational Therapy and LEND Core Faculty Member Dr. Lorry Liotta-Kleinfeld will serve as the student’s faulty advisor.

Both Johnson and Horton successfully completed the OTD LEND Independent Study class and engaged in a number of service, clinical and research activities in pediatrics. As Long-term Trainees, they will receive a stipend of $7,500 contingent on their successful participation in 300 hours or more of LEND activities. These activities focus on foundational concepts in the field of neurodevelopmental disabilities including the clinical, education, ethical, public health, legal, public policy and social implications of specific neurodevelopmental disabilities.  Continue reading

Dr. Hinton Receives Lucy Blair Service Award

Dr. Cathy Hinton receives her award at the conference this summer. Dr. Cathy Hinton, professor in the School of Physical Therapy, was presented with the Lucy Blair Service Award this summer at the American Physical Therapy Association NEXT annual conference. The Lucy Blair Service Award honors physical therapist members or physical therapist life members whose contributions to APTA are of exceptional quality.

Occupational and Physical Therapy Students Swim with the Nashville Dolphins

PT and OT students stand in front of the swimming pool at a recent volunteering opportunity with the Nashville Dolphins

Belmont University students from the Schools of Physical Therapy (PT) and Occupational Therapy (OT) performed aquatic exercises with the Nashville Dolphins under the direction of Dr. Natalie Michaels, professor of both PT and OT at Belmont, and Dr. Timothy Jones, associate professor and aquaticS specialist in the Department of Human Performance and Sports Science at Tennessee State University. The Nashville Dolphins, under the direction of Megan Kelly, is a group of children, teens and young adults, many with Down Syndrome, who enjoy swimming. Continue reading

Belmont University Named as a Most Beautiful College Campus in the South

A glamour shot of the lawn

CountryLiving recently released its list of the 25 Most Beautiful College Campuses in the South, and Belmont University was ranked No. 14 on this year’s list. In honor of summer coming to an end, the list points to the most beautiful campuses in the southern region that will soon be welcoming students back.

Nursing Students Participate in Behavioral Health Internship Program

For the past seven weeks, four Belmont University nursing students participated in the Behavioral Health Internship Program (BHIP) 2018, a partnership between Tristar Centennial Medical Center-Parthenon Pavilion, Skyline Madison Hospital and Belmont. A $16,000 grant, awarded to Belmont by The Promise of Nursing for Tennessee Nursing School Grant Program & administered by the Foundation of the National Student Nurses’ Association, enabled the students to receive a stipend. Funding for the grant program was contributed by several hospitals and health care agencies in the Tennessee area, Johnson and Johnson and other national companies with an interest in supporting nursing education. Continue reading

Belmont President Dr. Bob Fisher Named to Nashville Health Care Council Board of Directors

Bob FisherBelmont University President Dr. Bob Fisher was recently named as a member of The Nashville Health Care Council’s 2018-2019 Board of Directors. Chairman and CEO of HCA Healthcare and Belmont alumni R. Milton Johnson will begin a two-year term as chairman of the Board.

“This is an exciting time in health care as the industry evolves to face today’s challenges. I welcome each new board member and look forward to working alongside them as the Council continues to serve as a convener for health care thought leaders,” Johnson said in an announcement released by the Council.

In the same release, Council president Hayley Hovious said, “I look forward to the contributions from this diverse group of world-class health care leaders. Along with our dedicated staff, we look forward to meeting the continued need for collaboration and innovation within health care through our suite of programming and initiatives.”

Physical Therapy Student Trains with Boston Ballet

Bagley dancing in a ballet studio

Rebecca Bagley, a 3rd year physical therapy student at Belmont, spent the summer in Boston as she completed her 4th and final clinical experience with the Boston Ballet. In her position, Bagley worked alongside her clinical instructor evaluating and treating company dancers and mastering a variety of techniques including manual therapy, soft tissue mobilization, therapeutic exercise, taping and more. While she was there, the Ballet opened three shows in three weeks, providing considerable experience throughout her 6-days-a-week schedule.

Becca BagleyAs an undergraduate dance major and long-time dancer herself, the decision to head to Boston for her final clinical experience was an easy one for Bagley. “It has been a dream of mine since starting PT school to get the chance to combine my passions for physical therapy and dance,” she said. “I grew up training in many different styles of dance including ballet, contemporary, hip hop, tap and ballroom. It is a population that I understand from personal experience, and I am very passionate about. I was so thankful for the opportunity to work with professional dancers and learn from amazing physical therapists in this specialized field.” Continue reading

Nursing Students Participate in Vanderbilt Internship Program, Earn Top Awards

Student VESNIP participants

A group of 16 Belmont nursing students have spent the past seven weeks participating in the Vanderbilt Experience: Student Nurse Internship Program (VESNIP) alongside students from four other regional nursing programs. Two Belmont students were awarded the highest honors at the culminating awards ceremony held today, Wednesday June 27.

Student award winners pose with Dr. Folds and a Vanderbilt representative

L to R: Dr. Leslie Folds, Maddie Blakeney,
Chloe Sliman & Dr. Sandy Murabito

The Credo Award, recognizing Vanderbilt’s credo behaviors, is given to students that aspire to excellence and expert performance by making those they serve their highest priority, conducting themselves professionally, respecting others’ confidentiality, communicating effectively, having a sense of ownership and demonstrating a commitment to colleagues. Chloe Sliman, a Belmont-Trevecca Nazarene University partnership student received the Credo Award in Acute Care Track. The Florence Nightingale Award, given to Belmont’s Maddie Blakeney, is the program’s highest honor and is given in recognition of excellence in all areas. This award is based on feedback from nurse preceptors, nurse educators and the entire health care team at Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital. Continue reading

School of Occupational Therapy Develops, Hosts Transitions Summer Academy

Students participating in the Summer Transitions Academy

For many young adults with intellectual disabilities, the transition from high school can bring significant obstacles. Because programs at colleges and universities have been created to focus on life skill development, career exploration and participation in campus life, interdisciplinary efforts among all students, including those with intellectual disabilities, have grown.

Belmont University’s School of Occupational Therapy developed and hosted the Transitions Summer Academy May 14-18, focused on providing introductory life skills training and college exposure to young adults with intellectual disabilities that are transitioning out of high school and applying to collegiate programs. Continue reading

Dr. Christi Williams, ‘Rehab Lab’ Layla Featured in Pedigree Commercial

Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy Dr. Christi Williams and her “Rehab Lab” Layla spend countless hours with community members through their work as a trained pet therapy duo. Frequenting the halls of Vanderbilt Medical Center, Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital, Vanderbilt One Hundred Oaks and beyond, Williams and Layla are well known for their therapy services through Pet Partners, a local nonprofit.

Volunteer Christi Williams and her dog Layla prepare to visit patients at 100 Oaks.(John Russell/Vanderbilt University)

Recently, Williams and Layla (along with puppy-in-training Jackson!) were featured on a Pedigree pet commercial where Williams detailed Layla’s work and described the importance of her diet. Featuring video and images from her work in the hospital, the 8-year-old yellow Labrador Retriever can be seen loving on patients, playing with Jackson and prepping for work once her harness has been secured.

“When Layla visits, it’s very obvious to see that the people we work with tend to bring out the best in Layla,” Williams said. “We can also tell that when Layla is visiting, she clearly brings out the best in those people.”

To view the commercial in its entirety, click here. To read a recent Vanderbilt University Medical Center article on Layla and Williams, click here.

Physical Therapy Students Host Training Sessions for Future Therapy Animals

PT students train therapy dogsFirst year physical therapy students Beau Kovach, Natalie Storey, Ashley Carney and Christine Fisher recently volunteered to participate in therapy animal training classes for Therapy ARC (Animals Reaching Clients), a local group.

A registered pet therapy team consists of a volunteer owner/handler and their trained pet who visit various members of the community to provide affection and comfort to those in need. Pet therapy teams work with a wide variety of people in many settings including hospitals, outpatient facilities, nursing homes, schools, colleges, libraries and courtrooms, among other places. These teams require a significant amount of training and simulations of various experiences.

Once an animal and handler complete the necessary training, they must pass a detailed evaluation performed by a licensed evaluator from a registered pet therapy organization.  During the evaluation, the animal and handler must perform basic obedience skills and demonstrate calm behavior around new people, other animals and during several simulated tasks including maneuvering through crowds of people, being petted or embraced by several people at once, approaching someone using a walker or wheelchair and simply being in unpredictable environments that may be noisy, include people of various ages and people with different physical and/or mental disabilities.

Continue reading

Nursing Students Travel to Cambodia for Maymester, Service

Earlier this summer, Belmont sent four family nurse practitioner (FNP) students to Cambodia for a service-focused Maymester experience. While they were there, the students treated nearly 550 patients in both rural and urban areas and visited cultural sites throughout the country. The group, which included Kelsey Bivacca, Allison Courtney, Kendall Schoenekase and Hannah Stirnaman, was funded through scholarships provided by Hope through Healing Hands and CVS and partnered with Freedom’s Promise, a Nashville-based nonprofit and Sihanouk Hospital for Hope in Phnom Penh. Continue reading

Nashville Mayor David Briley Visits Belmont’s Opportunity Now Interns

Mayor David Briley spent Tuesday morning touring Belmont’s McWhorter & Inman Health Science Centers as he visited the Opportunity Now (ON) students who are participating in internships on Belmont’s campus. The 15 students, who represent only a portion of the ON interns across campus, have been assigned to work with Psychology & Health Sciences at Belmont. Continue reading

Occupational Therapy Faculty, Students Lead Fundraiser for Down Syndrome

OTD STudents

Associate Professor of Occupational Therapy Dr. Natalie Michaels ran another musical fundraiser at the Hotel Preston this past Monday evening for the Down Syndrome Association of Middle Tennessee, performing her own music and songs from Celine Dion to BeBe Rexha, along with Belmont occupational therapy doctoral students Matthew Young, Lauren Schar, Roya Rezadoost and Madeleine Ruff. “Its amazing how much musical talent we have in the Belmont OT Department,” said Michaels, who coordinates this fundraiser twice a year. Other performing musicians included Rick Michaels, Jim Martin, Peter Gallinari and Carrie Leigh Willis.

Sullenberger Published on Lifeway’s “Facts & Trends”

Chair and Associate Professor of Social Work Dr. Sabrina Sullenberger was recently published on Lifeway’s Facts & Trends, a blog focused on providing Christian leaders with information and resources. Her piece, “I Can’t Keep My Children Safe,” details her desire to ensure her three daughters are protected from all that life will bring, but ultimately realizing her own limitations in providing that divine oversight.

“They are not mine in the eternal sense—they are God’s,” Sullenberger says. “I am a steward. I am entrusted to care for them and love them and do my best to keep them safe, but I ultimately am not in control of the world or the actions of others.”

To read the piece in its entirety, click here.

Belmont Hosts Health Academy Summer Camp

Belmont College of Health Sciences and Nursing and College of Pharmacy recently hosted a Health Academy Summer camp, a week-long experience for middle schoolers that provided exposure to a wide variety of health professions and hands-on experience with a variety of health skills. The campers learned about EMT, Respiratory therapy, nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, pharmacy, speech–language pathology and many other health professions.

Students pose for a photo with Layla, the therapy dog! They learned to take vital signs, complete CPR, work with “patients” in the nursing simulation labs, formulate troche and extract DNA from strawberries in the Pharmacy labs and work on their mobility skills in the physical and occupational therapy labs. The highlight of the week was the visit from Layla, the rehab Labrador Retriever who helped students learn about pet therapy, service animals and emotional support animals.

Exposure to this wide variety of health professions helps to generate enthusiasm in middle schoolers for the sciences and possible to pursue careers in health professions.