Reporter Jan 29 2021
Pre-surgery brain mapping helps ease patients’ concerns
Jan. 28, 2021—Victoria Morgan, PhD, and Allen Timothy Newton, PhD, both biomedical engineers and faculty of the Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, have teamed up with Stephen Wilson, PhD, associate professor of Hearing and Speech Sciences, to offer brain function mapping services to Vanderbilt brain surgeons and their patients.
Study’s findings may help eventually close the door on COVID-19
Jan. 28, 2021—Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) at Galveston have discovered what may be the Achilles’ heel of the coronavirus, a finding that may help close the door on COVID-19 and possibly head off future pandemics.
New faculty chair is latest gift from Steve and Judy Turner
Jan. 28, 2021—Nashville philanthropists Steve and Judy Turner, adding generously to their longtime support of Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Vanderbilt University, have endowed a new faculty chair in the Department of Neurology at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine: the Judith Payne Turner Chair in Neurology.
Post-transplant coordinators serve as patients’ long-term advocate, supporter
Jan. 28, 2021—When a patient receives a new heart at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, that person also gains a new family, so to speak — the heart transplant team. Among the patient’s biggest advocates and supporters on that team is his or her post-transplant coordinator.
Pre-transplant coordinators ‘literally on call for something every single day’
Jan. 28, 2021—Emily Sandhaus’ phone rings in the middle of the night. The voice on the other end tells her a donor heart is available, and it’s in El Paso, Texas. She should pack a bag and report to the Emergency Department at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. A car will take her team to Nashville International Airport, where they will board a charter plane to recover, preserve and transport the heart back to VUMC for transplant.
Diabetes Day focuses on diversity, inclusion in research
Jan. 28, 2021—Vanderbilt Diabetes Day, an annual event which showcases the work of outstanding scholars and researchers in the fields of diabetes and endocrinology from throughout the United States, looked quite a bit different in November 2020 as the attendees connected virtually for sessions presented over two days.
Several VUMC nurses elected to TNA leadership roles
Jan. 28, 2021—Several Vanderbilt nurses have been elected to leadership of the Tennessee Nurses Association (TNA), including president and vice president.
Vanderbilt Transplant Center achieves new record for total transplants performed in 2020
Jan. 28, 2021—The Vanderbilt Transplant Center (VTC) established a new record in 2020 for total solid organ transplants, performing 611 life-saving procedures among its adult and pediatric organ transplant programs.
Nurse-led research helps usher in quieter PACU
Jan. 27, 2021—At Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, the post-anesthesia care unit, or PACU, is a hive of activity as patients are awakened from their operating room procedures. Given that each patient’s awakening is meant to be gentle, the general noise level in the PACU prompted concern from staff nurse Savannah Ramsey, RN.
Study shows healthy diet is associated with diverse and health-promoting microbiome
Jan. 27, 2021—Scientists are just beginning to understand the impact of diet on the gut microbiome and how this interaction affects human health, but baselines must first be established to yield answers.
VUMC successfully implements HealthShare, replacing 30-year-old solution
Jan. 25, 2021—Many of the projects led by Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s IT teams have significant user impact, such as the recent implementations of SECTRA (new imaging system), Cupid (Epic’s cardiology module) and Radiant (Epic’s radiology module).