Vanderbilt University Hospital is the first to adopt a new process that preserves kidneys to assist in organ transplants, according to a press release.
Vanderbilt Health announced Thursday that it had begun using Paragonix KidneyVault Renal Perfusion System, which is designed to preserve and transport donor kidneys, using hypothermic perfusion technology.
The technology allows more kidneys to be candidates for transplantation, according to the release. More than 100,000 patients are on the national transplant waitlist, and 86 percent of the individuals are waiting for a kidney.
“We used the technology for transport and pumping and were satisfied with the overall feel and appearance of the kidney at the time of reperfusion,” said Christian Crannell, assistant professor of surgery in the Division of Kidney and Pancreas Transplantation.
“We also appreciated knowing where the kidney was during transport and knowing the organ temperature.”
Lipscomb launches rural nursing program
Lipscomb University has launched a rural nursing initiative with the help of a $220,000 grant.
The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development Rural Healthcare Initiatives Program granted the money to create the Tennessee Rural Workforce Initiative for Nursing (TN R-WIN), a program that aims to recruit students from underserved areas to complete Lipscomb’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program.
In partnership with Northern Middle Tennessee Workforce Board and TriStar NorthCrest Medical Center, the program will provide comprehensive financial support for the first two semesters of six chosen students. The nursing program is four semesters and is meant to fast-track people who already have a bachelor’s degree.
The announcement comes on the heels of the Lipscomb University School of Nursing having been awarded a grant from the Tennessee Hospital Association and Ascension Saint Thomas Midtown to expand a clinical partnership between the hospital and school.
“This initiative is a game-changer for healthcare workforce development in Tennessee’s rural communities,” said Chelsia Harris, executive director of Lipscomb’s School of Nursing.
“By recruiting students from rural areas and providing them with a direct pathway to nursing careers in their communities, we aim to create a sustainable pipeline of health care professionals dedicated to serving where they are needed most.”
The university has been buying a number of properties near campus in the past several years.
Belmont adds doctoral degree
Belmont University announced this week that it would begin offering a post-professional occupational therapy doctorate (PPOTD) program.
The primarily online program targets licensed occupational therapists with master’s degrees seeking to advance their education. The one-year program is set to welcome students in the fall.
According to a press release, the program fills a gap of occupational therapy educators with doctoral degrees who also possess substantial clinical experience, as entry-level OTD programs are expanding nationally.
“We designed this program with working professionals in mind,” said Dr. Tamara Lemmonds, OTD program director at Belmont University.
“Our goal is to transform excellent clinicians into excellent educators in the broadest sense — whether they aspire to become professors in higher education, program developers in rural communities or clinic directors developing continuing education.”
