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.
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
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.
Assistant Professor of Nursing & Interim FNP Coordinator Dr. Erin Shankel was recently interviewed for a story that was published on nursepractitionerschools.com. The article, 
Today was similar to yesterday in structure as half of our group worked through well child visits and the other half worked alongside Cambodian health care professionals, educating them on the topic of CPR. My group traveled to the Center of Hope SIhanouk Hospital, where we helped educate physicians and nurses through the American Heart Association stanndards. 
Abby Vanwestrienen, Nursing Team
A day spent at the Angkor away Temples of Siem Reap is a day not easily forgotten. At least not for me, the resident social worker tag-a-long on the Cambodia maymester trip. The day started with an early morning ‘tuk-tuk’ ride to the temples, the cool breeze of dawn waking us up as we steadily see the shift in our surroundings from urban to rural. As the area became more lush, so our excitement grew. Fighting the quiet crowds, we crossed a floating bridge to one of the most awe-inspiring structures many of us had ever seen: the ancient Angkor temples. 
By Laura Seale, Nursing Team
Some of the team started their morning with a pool side work out. The other half of the team took that extra time to sleep. We ate breakfast at our beautiful hotel before leaving for clinic. You can tell the hotel is trying to accommodate for us Americans because there are french fries at breakfast and scrambled eggs instead of their regular fried eggs. But don’t worry there is still the traditional rice and fish for breakfast.
By: Cayley Norton, Nursing Team
by Jacqueline Murphy, Nursing Team
The morning began bright and early today as we set off for the 6 hour drive to Battambang
Our first stop of the day was to The Choeung Ek Genocidal Center to tour the killing fields. After reading books and watching films dedicated to this topic, it was overwhelming to see the fields in person. Although this was a somber topic, understanding more of the Cambodian history shed light on the resilience of these amazing people.
Dean of the College of Health Sciences and Nursing Dr. Cathy Taylor was recently honored with the University of Tennessee Health Science Center’s Dr. John W. Runyan, Jr. Community Nursing Award. Named for a Memphian and internationally recognized advocate for the role of nurses in community health care, the award celebrates a champion of the efforts of nurses in the community.
