Lipscomb students get first-hand look at how their future profession impacts health care
Lacey Klotz |
Since 2000, a new surgical system has been used to enhance surgery in a less invasive approach for patients.
Nashville’s Saint Thomas Health has utilized this new system and is changing the surgical care industry through the use of robotic technology by incorporating the da Vinci surgical system into daily practice.
On Nov. 11, approximately 100 Lipscomb University students and faculty from the Raymond B. Jones College of Engineering, the School of Nursing
and the Department of Biology visited Saint Thomas West’s Center for Robotic Surgery for its second annual Robotic-live stream event presented by Dr. Ben Dehner and Lisa Baugas, RN.
Lipscomb's nursing, pre-med and engineering students were given the opportunity to observe a live prostatectomy surgery through the use of live stream technology to the Linda and Mike Curb Institute of Advanced Medical Education and witnessed how their future profession impacts health care.
"This is a great opportunity for our engineering, nursing and pre-med students to see robotics technology in action," said Greg Nordstrom, professor of engineering at Lipscomb. "It brings to life what they are learning in the classroom, and allows them to see how this technology, in the right hands, can positively impact health care delivery and improve patient outcomes across many types of surgery. It is important for our students to see how their professions can have a meaningful effect on humanity."
Lipscomb’s partnership with Saint Thomas West began when the son of Dr. Ben Dehner, chief of urology at the hospital, enrolled in Lipscomb/Nissan’s BisonBot Robotic summer camp two years ago. After talking with Nordstrom, Dehner invited a group of Lipscomb engineering students to visit Saint Thomas West to view a live pyeloplasty surgery. This year, that invitation was extended to Lipscomb nursing and pre-med students as well. 
Dehner said he is excited to continue this partnership with Lipscomb and explained how crucial it is to bring real-world medical technology into an academic setting so students can experience new developments.
"Robotics has completely changed medicine, especially within my field of urology," said Dehner. "About 90 percent of prostatectomy surgeries are done robotically nowadays. Its astounding what this has done as far as our advancements of science and technology."
Peter Shafik, a freshman molecular biology major at Lipscomb, visited Saint Thomas West for the second annual live stream surgery and explained how seeing Dr. Dehner’s humility is inspiring.
“When you heal a person, you give praise to God,” Shafik said. “When you are humble like Dr. Dehner, others are able to see in you the perfect physician, and that is Jesus.”
Shafik also explained how grateful he is for the opportunities Lipscomb is providing for his education.
“This opportunity is amazing,” said Shafik. “I’d always assumed that I would have to seek shadowing opportunities on my own to see a live surgery, however, Lipscomb
has helped tremendously and that is such a blessing.”
Using two small cameras, the da Vinci surgical system creates a three-dimensional, high definition view of the operative field. Surgeons work at a surgeon console with controls that connect to very small surgical instruments. The console's controls use Intuitive® motion technology to mimic natural hand and wrist movements, allowing surgeons better precision than traditional open surgeries.
The robotic surgery treatment option offers patients a less-invasive surgical approach that incorporates the latest advancements in robotic-assisted technology and allows a surgeon greater visualization, enhanced dexterity, precision and control. Patients typically experience less pain, a shorter hospital stay and a faster return to normal daily activities as a result of robotic surgical procedures compared to traditional procedures.
For more information on Saint Thomas West please visit: www.sthealthbeat.com.