by Gunnar Eng | Jul 10, 2020 | COVID-19, News, News Slider
Lipscomb’s recent graduates and others currently in the nursing program have been thrown into the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic. They join an army of new nurses and nursing students nationwide who have been called into action because of the emergency. “Many signed up for the COVID-19 relief team at Vanderbilt and other area hospitals, which they all did voluntarily and not under any mandatory process from the School of Nursing or Lipscomb,” said Dr. Chelsia Harris, director of the nursing program at Lipscomb. “Many are getting paid in some capacity.” “Some of our graduates went straight to work in hospitals and other health-care facilities with COVID-19 units, post-graduation,” Harris said. “Out of 35 graduates, at least 15 or 16 that I know of have been doing that.” Kayla Neal is a recent graduate, who works as a patient care tech at Skyline Medical Center and AHC Cumberland nursing home. Neal, who graduated in May, has been in close vicinity of quarantined sectors. “They take our temperature at the beginning of the shift and make sure we are wearing our required masks,” Neal said. “All patients are screened beforehand and are also required to wear masks when being transported around.” Neal said the increasing number of patients, due to COVID, is putting stress on the healthcare system. “The nurse-to-patient ratio has increased from five-to-one to six-to-one just while I’ve been working there, and the responsibility for each employee has increased significantly as well,” said Neal. “COVID-19 is a stressful thing, but it gives me an advantage because I’m starting off as a new nurse in the midst of a...
by Gunnar Eng | Jun 29, 2020 | COVID-19, News, News Slider
With the European Union banning American tourists beginning this summer and other factors as the COVID-19 pandemic worsens, study abroad programs have been postponed indefinitely. “This tough decision was a collaborative agreement between our Office of Global Learning, Risk Management, and upper administration,” said Rebecca Zanolini, director of Global Learning, citing information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the State Department as source material in this decision. “Given the current information we have and due to a number of factors out of our control, such as many countries either limiting entrance or imposing a 14-day quarantine on those entering, it is the decision of the university to cancel our fall 2020 study abroad programs,” said Provost W. Craig Bledsoe. The EU has said that American tourists will be banned from entering the continent because the virus is raging uncontrolled here. It is similar to the winter’s ban on most European visitors to the U.S., issued when COVID-19 was reaching its peak in several countries. The university is now making accommodations for all students who planned to study abroad this semester to help them transition into a semester on-campus, including classes and housing registration assistance. “Even with this temporary situation regarding fall 2020 programs, we are moving ahead with our investment in Lipscomb’s global learning program and on-campus activities for students interested in future international travel opportunities,” said Bledsoe. “In the next few weeks the university plans to purchase the Florence villa that has served our global students so well for the last few years,” Bledsoe said. “This is a significant investment in our global learning program...
by Mckenzi Harris | Jun 6, 2020 | COVID-19, News, News Slider
The Lipscomb College of Pharmacy began compounding hand-sanitizer for the Nashville community in May, due to a shortage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Students, alumni, faculty and volunteers were involved in the compounding, and more who want to help are filling up a waiting list. “We started getting reports from our healthcare community saying supplies were getting extremely limited in terms of PPE (personal protection equipment) and also just hand-sanitizer to have available for both the patients and staff as they carry out their healthcare duties,” said Tom Campbell, dean of the College of Pharmacy and associate professor of Pharmacy Practice. Many of the college of pharmacy graduates are on the front lines in this battle against the virus, and the school keeps in contact with them, so when alums gave the word of the shortages around local healthcare facilities, Lipscomb stepped in. This is an experiment that the college would normally do in a pharmaceutical compounding class, according to Campbell. So making the hand-sanitizer was a way to reinforce compounding skills, while meeting a public health need with student pharmacists. “It was a great opportunity for our students to use the knowledge and skills they developed, knowing that they were able to help people in need. That’s always a very rewarding and refreshing feeling,” said Campbell. He said the college hopes to continue compounding throughout the summer and into the fall if needed, possibly even providing more hand-sanitizer around campus to create a safer environment as students return in the fall. Campbell encourages all who can to donate to the effort. “The one limiting factor will be costs, over...
by Mckenzi Harris | Jun 1, 2020 | BREAKING NEWS, COVID-19, News, News Slider
Several members of a construction team working on the Lipscomb campus have tested positive for the coronavirus, said President Randy Lowry in an email sent out to faculty members. “Yesterday one of the contractors on-site notified us that during routine daily health screenings required before an employee enters the construction site, several of their employees presented with a fever and were asked to leave the construction site to get COVID-19 tests and to self-quarantine,” Lowry wrote in the email. All of the individuals working at the site were tested, and the results have begun to come in. “While we are awaiting results from all of the tests, the contractor has notified us that several of the construction workers did test positive for the virus,” Lowry said. “When we learned of self-reported cases through one of our contractors, we engaged with the contractor to ensure access to testing was available to all members of the work crew,” said Kim Chaudoin, Lipscomb assistant vice president for public relations and communications. The site has been temporarily shut down for cleaning, and Lipscomb is taking precautions by holding virtual meetings with all of the contractors working on summer projects and reviewing their protocols. “The university has also implemented enhanced precautionary measures that require all subcontractors to assess their employees when they arrive on the work site, including a temperature check and health screening, wear masks and maintain appropriate physical distance among other measures,“ said Chaudoin. “While these results are concerning, we were not necessarily surprised to have a situation like this occur at some point, and we are prepared,” Chaudoin continued. “This quick...
by Kathryn Farris | May 14, 2020 | COVID-19, News, News Slider
Ever since the close of the spring semester, uncertainty has been in the air over the slowly approaching fall semester. Lipscomb announced its intention to move ahead on the fall semester; however, what that will look like depends on a variety of factors in the coming months. “The challenge is really how do you figure out how to bring 1,500 people back and live in dorms two to a room and use a common bathroom down the hall and take care of those that might get sick along the way,” said President Randy Lowry in a video call to faculty on May 7. A return to campus would come with potential adjustments, due to the spread of COVID-19 across the country. “The No. 1 concern will be our health security,” said Lowry, announcing his intentions to appoint a new director of Health and Wellness. Lipscomb follows in the steps of several other colleges and universities, each grappling with the impact of COVID-19. “We also are planning to be able to open not just the middle of August, but also right after Labor Day, and also the first of October,” Lowry said. “Students generally are not going to change their plans, especially if we have through the summer done all the things we’re trying to do to connect with them. They can tolerate three weeks online before we open the door.” Another possible plan mentioned by Lowry was an early finish before Thanksgiving. “Now, that may sound kind of screwy, but that’s a 12-week period of time,” Lowry said. “It’s essentially what a quarter would be in the other system....
by Lumination Staff | Apr 29, 2020 | COVID-19, News, News Slider, Opinion, Student Spotlight
The importance of family time, the joy of TV binge-watching, missing contact with friends in classes, worrying about the illness, learning how to sew, reading books or becoming aware of how important it is to wash your hands are just a few things that have occupied students’ minds in the weeks since spring break and the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown. Here are some of the thoughts and worries from the Lipscomb students in adjunct Tim Ghianni’s Practicum in Journalism. Chances are that fellow students will recognize themselves in these short essays: The thought of being locked in your house without face to face contact with the outside world is terrifying, especially for someone with a go-getter personality. That go-getter would be me. I am the type to try and fill every second of the day with productive tasks, oftentimes making more work for myself just to keep from what I would say is “wasted time.” Throughout quarantine, I have re-learned the art of relaxing. I don’t remember the last time I was able to just sit and watch a movie or hang out with my family just because. While I know this won’t last forever, there are several lessons I’ve learned that I plan to take with me out of quarantine. Most of them are simple, but I’ve learned they are crucial for my mental health. I plan to take more time to enjoy family and friends and just hang out. Life is too short to occupy each second with strenuous working and being “productive.” I also plan to spend more time on the things I love, like photography and art. I...
