Nursing

Pam Helmlinger, with her husband, Kelly, and 4-year-old son, Ryland, who received part of Kyle Fisher’s liver, speaks at VUMC’s Donate Life Month Flag-Raising Ceremony.
April 20, 2023

Flag-raising event honors selflessness of organ donation

Organ donors and their families were saluted recently at Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s annual Donate Life Flag-Raising Ceremony.

By Matt Batcheldor
by Matt Batcheldor When Beverly Fite’s brother, Dan, needed a liver transplant, she had a feeling like a lot of potential living organ donors — she immediately knew she would be the one to donate. She had recently learned that Vanderbilt University Medical Center makes it possible for someone to donate part of their liver to a loved one, and the resulting partial livers in the donor and recipient can regenerate to become fully functional organs, typically within six weeks. After other relatives were tested and Beverly was determined to be the best match, she didn’t hesitate to donate her liver, which she did in May 2022. She has no regrets. “If you're given an opportunity to, do something,” she said. “Give a gift to someone who you love so dearly. … For me, this is my big brother. He was a huge part of just me becoming me.” Beverly, who is finishing nursing school at Auburn University, will be among the guest speakers at VUMC’s Donate Life Flag-Raising Ceremony, part of a national effort to raise awareness about the need for organ and tissue donors. The event, scheduled for noon on Friday, April 14 by the flagpole on the VUMC Plaza, celebrates families of deceased organ donors, living donors and hospital staff who care for donors and transplant recipients. This is the first year the event is being held in person since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Beverly’s brother, Dan, was diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis at 12, and he came under Vanderbilt’s care when he came to Nashville to study at Belmont University. His doctors were able to manage his condition for years, through bouts of stabbing pain in his abdomen due to gallstones. Dan knew he would eventually need a new liver, but the scarcity of available deceased donor livers meant he could spend years on a waiting list as he got sick enough to qualify. That set in motion the search for a liver donor, starting with many of his cousins. When he found out his sister was his best match, he had mixed emotions. “I was relieved because it meant we were going to be able to get the surgery done,” he said, but “in the grand scheme of things, I probably would have rather had her not go through that. But now that we've all come through and all out on the other side, all I can do is just express my extreme gratitude and commend her bravery.” Both siblings had the opportunity to recover together over the summer of 2022 in a home in Nashville, supported by multiple family members, during Beverly’s break from nursing school. Through it all, the siblings’ bond, already close, became tighter still. For Beverly, seeing Dan for the first time after the surgery, made it all worth it. His skin, even the whites of his eyes, were no longer jaundiced. “I was getting to see just what a gift I was able to give him,” she said. “This is incredible. This is amazing.” Dan said he’s feeling fine for the most part and is incredibly grateful to his sister. “Bev, to me, is the best of us,” Dan said. “She is the most generous soul. And I am not only forever indebted to her, but I … admire her and want to be her when I grow up.”
April 6, 2023

Donate Life Flag-Raising Ceremony set for April 14

Vanderbilt’s Donate Life Flag-Raising Ceremony, part of a national effort to raise awareness about the need for organ and tissue donors is scheduled for noon on Friday, April 14 by the flagpole on the VUMC Plaza.

By Matt Batcheldor
March 31, 2023

For Ali Grubbs, leadership means mentoring and empowering every employee

“My favorite part of this job is taking care of the people and engaging with our staff and helping them solve problems and achieve professional growth and development.”

By Matt Batcheldor
March 30, 2023

VUMC relaunching committee devoted to nurse well-being

Vanderbilt University Medical Center is relaunching its Nurse Wellness Committee, part of ongoing efforts to promote well-being and resilience in its nursing team.

By Matt Batcheldor
March 20, 2023

Kathie Krause’s decades of commitment to infants, children and families honored with lifetime DAISY Award

Krause stepped off the elevator on the 8th floor of Monroe Carell and was greeted by about 40 nurses in a surprise ceremony. “They totally got me on this one,” she said.

By Christina Echegaray
Vanderbilt heart patient Tony Raia, with his wife, Jenn, and daughter, Gabriella, 6, at their home in Franklin, Tennessee.
March 16, 2023

Multispecialty expertise key to heart patient’s recovery

Vanderbilt’s multispecialty expertise helped a seemingly healthy 54-year-old man who needed major heart procedures get back to the gym and live a healthy life.

By Matt Batcheldor
March 9, 2023

VUMC granted four-year reaccreditation by ANCC

Vanderbilt University Medical Center was recently granted reaccreditation for nursing continuing professional development (NCPD) in February from the American Nurses Credentialing Center.
By Matt Batcheldor
January 19, 2023

McCullough named chief nursing officer of Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt

Gretchen K.D. McCullough, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, has been named chief nursing officer of Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt.
By Christina Echegaray
January 19, 2023

Sparks appointed to AAACN Workplace Safety Task Force

Vanderbilt's Beth Sparks, MSN, RN, CNML, has been appointed co-chair of the American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nursing's Workplace Safety Task Force.
By Matt Batcheldor
January 12, 2023

Program at VUH seeks to improve medication safety

Vanderbilt Nursing and the Department of Pharmaceutical Services have teamed up to create the Medication Safety Champions program, intended to improve medication safety throughout Vanderbilt University Hospital.
By Matt Batcheldor
January 11, 2023

Patient calls nurse “A light in the darkness,” and other DAISY Award-winning examples of extraordinary nurses (Part 1 of 2)

DAISY Awards are given to great nurses all over the United States and in many other countries. Here are VUMC's latest winners.
By Matt Batcheldor
January 11, 2023

The patient who said “I knew I was in good hands” and other DAISY Award-winning examples of extraordinary nurses (Part 2 of 2)

DAISY Awards are given to great nurses all over the United States and in many other countries. Here are VUMC's latest winners.
By Matt Batcheldor
January 3, 2023

Study shows peer messaging tool can be successfully implemented in the nursing workforce

A new study shows that a tool developed at Vanderbilt University Medical Center to address disrespectful workplace behaviors through trained peer-to-peer messaging can be successfully implemented in the nursing workforce with the appropriate support.
By Matt Batcheldor
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