Linda G. Wofford is a nationally certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner who loves to teach children, their families and nursing students of all levels. Dr. Wofford received her undergraduate nursing degree from the University of Mississippi with her master’s degree completed at the University of Virginia and her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from the University of Kentucky.

She is currently co-principal investigator for a community based research project working with school-aged children to lower their risk for type 2 diabetes through an after-school program. Dr. Wofford enjoys working with the at-risk population of children. Concurrently, Linda serves as a faculty member at Belmont University. Dr. Wofford conveys the importance of health promotion and disease prevention strategies for children within a family-centered model whoever she is teaching – children, families, undergraduates and graduate students.

Linda began her career working with children and their families at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis. During the years she was moving about the country raising her three children, Linda remained active at the national level of the Association of Pediatric Oncology Nurses (APON). Since returning to Tennessee in 2003, she has affiliated with the local chapters of NAPNAP and Society of Pediatric Nurses.

Linda began her formal adventure in the world of academia with a joint appointment between University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing and the Alabama Children’s Hospital in 1984. Over the years, she has worked with at-risk children, their families and formal students at six, accredited southeastern schools of nursing.

View Dr. Wofford's Vitae

Dr. Shankel joined Belmont’s College of Health Sciences and Nursing in 2008. She earned a B.A. in Biology with a minor in Religion and Philosophy from Greenville College in 2001, an M.S.N. from Vanderbilt University in 2003, and a D.N.P. from Belmont University in 2014. She has experience working as a Family Nurse Practitioner in allergy, asthma, women’s health, and urgent care settings. When she is not working, Dr. Shankel can be found spending time with her husband and three daughters.

Responsibilities
Dr. Shankel teaches Advanced Health Assessment, Primary Health Care I and II, and Intensive Practicum in the graduate nursing program. She is active on the Belmont’s Graduate Affairs Committee, Leadership Committee, and Community Accountability Council. She is also the Membership Chair for the Middle Tennessee Advanced Practice Nurses and is the secretary of the Tennessee Nurses Association’s Government Affairs Committee.

Research Interests
Pediatric asthma, Telemonitoring of Chronic Disease, Symptom Management Theory, Compassion Fatigue

Areas of Expertise
Allergy and Asthma, Women’s Health, Family Practice

Publications
Shankel, E. C. and Wofford, L. G. (2016). Symptom Management Theory as a clinical practice model for symptom telemonitoring in chronic disease. Journal of Theory Construction and Testing 10(1), 31-38.

Dr. Busby has been involved in healthcare delivery for more than 35 years. He worked as an EMT/Paramedic in the Tampa Bay, FL area for many years. He has worked as an RN in CVICU, ER and as a hospital nursing educator teaching critical care courses such ACLS, BCLS, 12 lead EKG, balloon-pumps, PA catheters and more. He has been a family nurse practitioner for 22 years and has worked in a private rural practice, an ER and in a faith-based community clinic focused on the uninsured.  Dr. Busby has 17 years of higher education teaching experience.  He served as a faculty member at the University of Alabama in Huntsville where he served as the Nurse Practitioner Programs Coordinator and the Interim Associate Dean for Graduate Programs.  He also served as a faculty member at Vanderbilt University teaching Nurse Practitioner and doctoral students.  His research experience includes having worked with members of the United States Space and Rocket Center’s Geo-Spatial Lab and the Alabama Department of Homeland Security on a first-of-its-kind in the nation, state-wide situational awareness program. He has done consulting work for a Huntsville-based engineering firm working on a Department of Defense combat casualty care program.  He was a member of a federal Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT) from Alabama.  His original research and theory on Situational Awareness in Multi-Casualty Incidents is published in the Journal of Emergency Nursing.

Responsibilities
Here at Belmont, Dr. Busby’s primary teaching responsibilities are in the Family Nurse Practitioner and doctoral nursing programs.

Research Interests
The usefulness of the Busby Theory of Situational Awareness in Multi-Casualty Incidents
Emergency Preparedness
Situational Awareness
Qualitative Research
Interprofessional Education and Practice

Areas of Expertise
Cardiology, Hemodynamics, Electrophysiology, 12-lead EKG, Pathophysiology, and Disaster Care related to Situational Awareness

Publications
Espiritu, E., Michaels, N., Busby, S., (2020) Educational Impact on Therapists’ Knowledge, Beliefs and Actions: A Pilot Study, The Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice Vol. 18(1), Article 11

Busby, S., (2019) Spiritual Considerations for the Christian Student Nurse, Journal of Christian Nursing Vol. 36(4), pp. E54-E58

Smith, C., Morse, E., Busby, S., (2019) Barriers to Reproductive Healthcare for Women with Opioid Use Disorder, Journal of Perinatal and Neonatal Nursing, Vol. 33(2), pp.E3-E11

Busby, S. (2015). Insider Insights: Grounded Theory Research. In Corbin, J., Strauss, A, Basics of Qualitative Research, Techniques and Procedures for Developing Grounded Theory. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications (pp. 81-84).

Busby, S., (2013) Essay: Father Time, Tabula Rasa, Vanderbilt School of Medicine's Journal of Medical Humanities (March Edition)

Gross, B., Anderson, F., Busby, S., Frith, K., (2013) Using Culturally-Sensitive Education to Improve Adherence with Anti-Hypertensive Regimen, Journal of Cultural Diversity, 20(2), pg. 75-79

Busby, S., Essay: When Heroes are Human, Tabula Rasa, Vanderbilt School of Medicine's Journal of Medical Humanities (March 2012)

Busby, S., Witucki-Brown, J., Theory of Situational Awareness in Multi-Casualty Incidents, Journal of Emergency Nursing, (2011) 37(5), pg.444-452

Busby, S., Speraw, S. & Young, How Nursing Intersects with Disaster Planning. Journal of Christian Nursing. Peer-reviewed journal. (2008) 25 (4), pg. 213-218

Recent Presentations
Invited Podium Presentation: Nurse Practitioners and Disaster Response: Innovation, Research, Education and Practice. (2018) American Association of Nurse Practitioners Annual Conference. Denver, Colorado, June 26 – July 1.

Poster Presentation: Exploring the Perceived Barriers to Long-Acting Reversible Contraception in Women Receiving Treatment for Opioid Addiction. (2018) National Nurse Practitioner Symposium. Keystone, Colorado, July 20-22.

Use of a New Nursing Theory in for Disaster Simulation; (2017) 13^th Annual Faculty Development Conference, University of Kentucky, May

JNC-8; An Evidentiary Exemplar; (2017) North Alabama Nurse Practitioner Association Annual Clinical Symposium. September

Professional Organizations
Sigma Theta Tau International, Omicron Phi Chapter
American Association of Nurse Practitioners
North Alabama Nurse Practitioner Association
Nursing Christian Fellowship

Honors & Awards
Sara K. Archer Award winner for Outstanding FNP faculty member, Vanderbilt University School of Nursing. (2017)
Sara K. Archer Award winner for Outstanding FNP faculty member, Vanderbilt University School of Nursing. (2016)
National Professional Role Award Recipient, American Assembly for Men in Nursing (AAMN) (2011)
Outstanding Dissertation Award, Sigma Theta Tau, Gamma Chi Chapter, University of Tennessee Knoxville. (2010)
Spirit of Nursing Award, University of South Alabama FNP program, (1997)
Student Nurse of the Year, Troy University, Dothan Campus. (1996)

Lisa Germano is the Graduate Clinical Placement Coordinator for the School of Nursing. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Akron. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing from Belmont University. Her experience includes working as a registered nurse in the Pediatric Heart Institute at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt and as a nurse practitioner in the Division of Medical Genetics and Genomic Medicine at Vanderbilt.

Lisa lives in Nashville with her husband, Rich, and her son, Luca. They have two Labrador retrievers, Vito and Mico. Prior to living in Nashville, Lisa and Rich lived in Charlotte and are originally from northeast Ohio.

Responsibilities
Lisa’s primary duties involve clinical management and coordination for MSN and DNP students. Lisa also teaches in the undergraduate and graduate nursing programs.

Areas of Expertise and Interests
Pediatrics
Cardiology
Genetics
Newborn Screening

Poster
Phillips, J. A., Robertson, A. K., Bican, A. G., Cogan, J. D., Rives, L. C., Germano, L. F., Hannig, V. L., Fairbrother, L. C., Pfotenhauer, J. P., Brokamp, E. K., Clark Pollock, P., Cassini, T. A., Pomerantz, D. J., Small, B. A., Sergent, J. S., Newman, J. H., & Hamid, R. (2017).  Precision medicine successes from the Undiagnosed Diseases Network (UDN). Presented at the American College of Medical Genetics (ACMG) Annual Clinical Genetics Meeting. 

Publications
Tong, H. H., Fisher, L. M., Kosunick, G. M., & DeMaria, T. F. (2000). Effect of adenovirus type I and influenza A virus on Streptococcus pneumoniae nasopharyngeal colonization and otitis media in the chinchilla.  The Annals of Otology, Rhinology, and Laryngology, 109(11), 1021-1027.

Tong, H. H., Fisher, L. M., Kosunick, G. M., & DeMaria, T. F. (1999). Effect of tumor necrosis factor α and interleukin 1-α on the adherence of Streptococcus pneumoniae to chinchilla tracheal epithelium. Acta Otolaryngology, 119, 78-82.

Tong, H. H, McIver, M. A., Fisher, L. M., & DeMaria, T. F. (1999). Effect of lacto-N-neotetraose, asialoganglioside-GM1 and neuraminidase on adherence of otitis media-associated serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae to chinchilla tracheal epithelium. Microbial Pathogenesis, 26, 111-119.

Dr. Giese joined the faculty at Belmont in the fall of 2015 as an assistant professor. She began her nursing career as an emergency department nurse and later became a nurse practitioner. She is a certified family nurse practitioner and pediatric primary care nurse practitioner. She has many years of experience in allergy, asthma, and immunology but also prior experience in pediatrics and emergency care.

Responsibilities
Graduate:  Advanced Nursing Research, Research Applications, Primary Health Care I Clinical, FNP Intensive Practicum Clinical
Undergraduate:  Evidence Based Practice

Research Interests
Pediatric asthma, Pediatric obesity, Adult Asthma, Allergies, Health promotion

Areas of Expertise
Asthma, allergy, & immunology

Publications
Giese, J. (2014).  Pediatric obesity and its effects on asthma control.  Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 26, 102-109.  Doi:  10.111/1745-7599.12029

Smits, W., Giese, J., Letz, L., Inglefield, J., & Schlie, A.  (2007).  Safety of rush immunotherapy using a modified schedule:  A cumulative experience of 893 patients receiving multiple aeroallergens.  Allergy and Asthma Proceedings, 28, 305-312.

Smits, W., Giese, J., Letz, K., & Schlie, A.  (2005). Safety of rapid allergen vaccination in children utilizing a 2.5 hour protocol.  Pediatric Asthma, Allergy, & Immunology, 18 131-139.

Letz, K., Smits, W., Giese, J., & Schlie, A.  (2005).  Allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, and migraine: An allergist’s perspective.  Headache & Pain, 16, 95.

Smits, W., Letz, K., Evans, T., & Giese, J. (2003).  Characterization of patients undergoing both allergy skin testing and in bitro allergy testing with the ImmunoCAP Technology System.  Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, 15,415-423.

Gray joined the faculty at Belmont in the fall of 2017 as an assistant professor. She began her nursing career as a pediatric nurse. She is a certified clinical nurse specialist and certified nurse educator. She continues to work as an administrative coordinator at Monroe Carell Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt.

Responsibilities
Graduate:  Advanced Nursing Research, Transition to Graduate Nursing, Evaluation of Health Care Outcomes; Leadership and Management of Health Care Organizations and Systems, Health Care Policy, Nursing and Health Care Issues

Research Interests
Sleep in families affected by ADHD; Child sleep; Integration of social determinants of health into nursing curricula

Areas of Expertise
Sleep, Child health, Nursing education, Health care evaluation

Dr. Morse was board certified as a family nurse practitioner in 2011 and completed her Doctorate in Nursing Practice at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing in 2014. She has a Masters in Public Health from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and credits her holistic approach to patient care with her strong background in public health.

She is fluent in Spanish, has a heart for social justice and public health service in developing countries and has worked on global public health initiatives in Peru, South Africa and South Sudan. She is currently practicing in her East Nashville community at East Nashville Family Medicine.

Responsibilities
Dr. Morse is delighted to be teaching the public health content of the DNP curriculum, N6100 Population Health & Epidemiology, N6240 Health Care Education for Diverse Populations, and in the scholarly project series where she supports students to find, focus and channel their individual passion into scholarship, professional development and social change. She strives to keep her students actively engaged in the sociocultural context of healthcare, and works to create learning experiences that expose students to the diversity and beauty of the human condition.

Research Interests
Health Disparities, Vulnerable Populations, Patient-centered care, Experiential Education, Service Learning

Areas of Expertise
Global Health
Public Health/Social Medicine

Dr. Wyant joined Belmont in January of 2013 with the beginning of the Healthcare MBA program. He obtained his BA degrees from the University of Oregon, M.A in Economics and M.B.A in Finance from The Ohio State University, and Ph. D in Health Services Research Policy and Administration from the University of Minnesota.
Before entering the teaching field, Dr. Wyant obtained a variety of work experiences involving health services, finance and information technology. As staff of the Ohio Nursing Home Commission, he worked with reimbursement legislation through the process of Commission hearings, legislative committee hearings, rule writing, and implementation by the state government. For his work on that legislation he was awarded a citation for Outstanding Citizenship by the Ohio State Senate. As a consultant for the Ohio Department of Public Welfare he provided input on a number of healthcare financing issues. He has also served as staff for a health systems agency and for the Minnesota Health Care Commission. He has worked on finance issues for a county hospital and for a not –for–profit hospital. He also spent several years as a management trainee and financial analyst with a bank.

Dr. Wyant has taught a variety of finance and healthcare management courses at the University of Minnesota, the University of Iowa, Xavier University and Weber State University. His principal teaching areas are in Healthcare Information Technology, Health Economics, and Financial Management.

His grant awards include funding from the National Institutes of Health to investigate the possibilities of merging healthcare claims data with cancer registry data to study the effectiveness of alternative treatment protocols. His research has been published in leading healthcare journals, including Medical Care, the Journal of Healthcare Information Management, and Community Mental Health Journal. He is active in the Healthcare Financial Management Association, the Association of University Programs in Healthcare Administration, and in the Healthcare Management and Information Systems Society.

REPRESENTATIVE PUBLICATIONS

• Watkins CM, White J, Duncan  DF, Wyant DK, et al. Consumer-Directed Health Insurance vs. Managed Care: Analysis of Health Care Utilization and Expenditures Incurred by
• Employees in a Rural Area (Research in the Sociology of Health Care, Volume 28) 2010
• Wyant DK. HIT Project Selection: Real Option Analysis - Improving Project Selection in Healthcare Settings  Journal of  Healthcare Information Management 23(1) 56-61 2009
• JHIM Web Exclusive Real Option Analysis: Improving Project Selection in Healthcare Settings An interview with David K Wyant, PhD  http://www.himss.org/ASP/jhim_webExclusive_WyantPg1.asp Jan 2009
• Wyant DK. Training Day – Preparing Future Managers for Healthcare IT Journal of Healthcare Information Management.  22 (1) 6-7 2008.

SELECTED AWARDS & HONORS

• Chair of the Information Technology faculty network 2009 -2111 for the Association of University Programs in Healthcare Administration.
• Project won a Yeager award from HFMA for innovative practices in Healthcare Financial Management
• Awarded  a research grant from NIH/NCI SEER Special Studies to study a merged database of cancer registry and claims data to analyze factors associated with treatment patterns of  breast cancer     
• Citation for Outstanding Citizenship by the Ohio State Senate for work with the Ohio Nursing Home Commission