Patient Flow Nurses (PFNs) are passionate about their role — helping expedite the discharge of patients to decrease length of stay, reduce readmissions and open beds for other patients.

Thirteen volunteer leaders have been named over the past year to fill vacant positions on three Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) advisory boards and councils.

Complications related to opioid abuse occur in 54,000 pregnancies annually in the United States, and Tennessee ranks among the top 10 states in the number of opioid-dependent pregnant women.

After a successful 2016 pilot in the 16-bed Palliative Care Unit, the Vanderbilt Vigil Volunteers (V3) program — which pairs a volunteer with dying patients who either have no known family or friends, or whose family and friends are unable to be with them — is expanding into the Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) in early 2017.

Jeremiah Bevis, 4, hops around the performance stage area of Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, burning off some energy before his clinic visit with his team of doctors. He’s an active, lovable boy who will offer a hug within a few minutes of meeting a new person.