Nursing Beyond Borders

Belmont Partners with Queen's University Belfast on Innovative Digital Learning Tool 

When nursing student Lillian Waldrop sat down with her peers from Queen's University Belfast, she didn't expect to gain insights that would fundamentally change her approach to nursing. However, that's exactly what happened during a recent cross-cultural collaboration that brought nursing students from both sides of the Atlantic together to tackle a common health care challenge. 

"Working with the professors and nursing students from Queen's University Belfast has left a lasting impact on my studies at Belmont and will shape my future practice as a nurse," said Waldrop. 

The two-day intensive workshop brought together 20 undergraduate and five graduate Belmont nursing students with three students and five faculty members from QUB's School of Nursing and Midwifery to co-design a digital escape room — an interactive educational game that will help future health care professionals better distinguish between delirium and dementia. 

This distinction is crucial, explained Dr. Shelby Garner, director of Global Health Innovation. 

"Many times, nurses and health providers will think a patient has dementia when really they have delirium," Garner said. "Delirium can be very much prevented and the treatment is different, so it's important for nursing students to understand the differences." 

The collaboration began with students breaking the ice in a fitting way — competing in a real-life escape room in Nashville. Then, students from both universities dove into recording simulations in Belmont's Center for Interprofessional Engagement and Simulation, designing puzzles and even producing a podcast at Nashville's Entrepreneur Center discussing the differences in care approaches between the two countries. 

"It was amazing to have the opportunity to work on a project where we essentially created our own case study," Waldrop said. "It has not only impacted my understanding but also enhanced my ability to empathize with people from different backgrounds." 

The project revealed that despite geographical distances, nursing challenges transcend borders.  

"I was surprised to find that nursing students in Northern Ireland faced many of the same challenges with misdiagnoses of dementia and delirium," Waldrop shared. "Our shared passion for nursing and patient care drove us, regardless of where we came from." 

The cultural exchanges proved equally valuable. Over lunch with the Belfast students, Waldrop learned that in Ireland, it's common for nurses to pursue Ph.D. programs directly — a different path than in the United States. Meanwhile, American students were surprised by aspects of health care delivery in the U.K. 

"Our students were floored to learn about differences like how in Ireland, new mothers receive home health care visits as standard practice," said Global Health Coordinator Taryn McCoy. "It really engaged them in thinking about bigger health system questions in a way that was unique." 

Dr. Julie Honey, dean of nursing, sees such exchanges as essential to developing well-rounded health care professionals. 

"By integrating global perspectives into practical learning experiences, we're preparing nurses who can adapt to diverse healthcare environments and lead positive change wherever their careers take them," Honey said. 

Led by Dr. Christine Brown Wilson and funded by QUB's Agility Fund, with additional support from Belmont, the digital escape room is expected to be completed in the coming months. It will initially be used by nursing and health science students at both universities before being shared more broadly. 

The partnership continues to grow, with plans for a study abroad opportunity in Belfast in May 2026 and potentially a full-semester exchange program by 2027.  

"From this experience, I've gained two key takeaways: always remain inquisitive, and never stop learning," Waldrop said. "Despite the short time we spent together, this collaboration made us feel more interconnected, and I believe it has shaped our approach to nursing in a meaningful way."