HGNI New Directions

Welcome to New Directions, a publication of the Hartford Geriatric Nursing Initiative (HGNI). This e-newsletter is designed to inform interested academic and practice leaders, faculty members, students, practitioners, and others about the work of the HGNI and provide the latest news and information relevant to geriatric nursing.

If you have items you would like mentioned in New Directions, please contact Pamela Dudzik at pdudzik@aannet.org, Debbie Latimer at dlatimer@aacn.nche.edu or Elaine Gould at elaine.gould@nyu.edu. We look forward to hearing from you!

In this Issue

1. Regional Networks Building Geriatric Nursing Capacity
2. Tools, Resources and Opportunities
3. Announcements
4. Link of the Month

1. Regional Networks Building Geriatric Nursing Capacity

The Building Academic Geriatric Nursing Capacity (BAGNC) Scholars and Fellows Awards Program enjoys a growing number of alumni. These emerging geriatric nursing leaders are located across the country and represent a significant source of support for building capacity in geriatric nursing in their geographic regions.

In partnership with the American Academy of Nursing Coordinating Center, volunteer alumni launched BAGNC events at all four regional nursing research meetings this spring. The first goal is to establish a regional network of collegial support for BAGNC alumni and other geriatric nurses in that region.

All four groups conducted various activities to introduce the BAGNC network to regional nursing research meeting attendees. They also established a base contact list and began planning events for the future. Look for updates in future issues of New Directions. If you are interested in who is your regional network contact and would like information on future events, please refer to the following information:

Eastern Nursing Research Society

Jennifer Lingler (linglerjh@upmc.edu)

Midwest Nursing Research Society

Lori Popejoy (popejoyl@health.missouri.edu)

Judy Jacoby (judy.jacoby@und.nodak.edu)

Western Institute of Nursing

Lissi Hansen (hansenli@ohsu.edu)

Diane Norcio (diane_norcio@hotmail.com)

Southern Nursing Research Society

Leanne Lefler (l.lefler@uams.edu)

2. Tools, Resources & Opportunities

Time is running out to submit applications to the 2006 Awards for Baccalaureate Education in Geriatric Nursing
The 2006 Awards for Baccalaureate Education in Geriatric Nursing, sponsored jointly by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing and the Hartford Institute of Geriatric Nursing, is still soliciting applications for four awards:

Outstanding Faculty Member in Gerontological Nursing Education

Infusing Geriatrics into the Nursing Curriculum Award

Stand-Alone Geriatric Course Award

Clinical Settings in Geriatric Nursing Award

Schools may submit one entry per award category, but hurry - applications must be postmarked no later than June 2.

Click here to download an application: http://www.aacn.nche.edu/Education/Hartford/index.htm.

2007 Call for Applications: John A. Hartford Foundation BAGNC Scholarships and Claire M. Fagin Fellowships
The American Academy of Nursing is seeking applicants for Predoctoral Scholarships, Masters in Business Administration Scholarships, and Postdoctoral Fellowships. This year, the BAGNC Awards Program is moving to an online application system. Although this system is still under construction, there is plenty of information currently available on the BAGNC web site: www.geriatricnursing.org/applications.

If you plan on applying, start thinking now. Applications are due January 9, 2007.

Try This! Assessment Series: Fall Risk Assessment: Hendrich II Scale
Falls among older adults tend to occur because of multiple causes, such as illness and medications. Fall risk assessment and post-fall assessment, two interrelated and distinct approaches to fall evaluation, are useful guidelines for practitioners. This issue of Try This! presents a useful tool that is brief and can be used for risk and prevention screening and post-fall assessment. The publication can be found at: http://www.hartfordign.org/publications/trythis/issue08.pdf.

Interprofessional Fellowship Program in Patient Safety beginning July 2006
The Interprofessional Fellowship Program in Patient Safety is a one-year, full-time fellowship program requiring fellows to complete one significant patient safety project under the supervision of an established expert in patient safety. Fellows are encouraged, but not required, to seek VA employment after completion of the fellowship.

This fellowship location is the VISN 8 Patient Safety Center of Inquiry at the Tampa VA Hospital, Tampa, FL, in collaboration with the VA National Center for Patient Safety and the University of South Florida.

The deadline for application is June 1 for fellowships beginning July 1, 2006, and February 1, 2007, for fellowships beginning July 1, 2007.

To see the eligibility requirements or to learn more, visit the VA's web page at http://www.va.gov/oaa/ or the VISN 8 Patient Safety Center web page at http://www.visn8.med.va.gov/patientsafetycenter/. You can also contact Dr. Gail Powell-Cope at gail.powell-cope@va.gov or (813) 558-3911.

3. Announcements

AACN welcomes Laurie Dodge
Laurie Dodge, MSN, ANP, GNP, will be joining the American Association of Colleges of Nursing in August to manage the gero programs' faculty development initiative. The initiative, sponsored by AACN and the John A. Hartford Foundation, will sponsor six regional conferences that will train faculty in gerontological nursing. A former Creating Careers project director, Laurie comes to AACN from the University of Texas/San Antonio. Her research interests include the following special issues relative to the geriatric population: shortage of geriatric providers, adherence, Alzheimer's disease, and maximizing quality of life and functional ability. She's also an experienced teacher at UT's GNP program. AACN is excited to welcome Laurie as a member of our gero team.

Marianne Smith (2003-2005 Predoctoral Scholar) receives two scholarships
Marianne Smith, a graduate fellow at The University of Iowa College of Nursing whose research focuses on dementia care in assisted-living facilities (ALFs), has recently received F31 and AARP scholarships. The F31 is a National Research Service Award (NRSA) predoctoral fellowship that runs from July 2005 through July 2007. It covers the costs to finish the program, including tuition and dissertation research. HGNI congratulates Smith, who will be able to use the $10,000 AARP scholarship to cover the costs of tuition, academic fees, research expenses, and travel to professional meetings.

4. Link of the Month: New Nutrition Content on Infoaging.org

Launched by the American Federation of Aging Research (AFAR) in 2000 and supported by a generous educational grant from Pfizer Inc., Infoaging.org is dedicated to providing the knowledge we all need to live healthier, longer lives. The site, written for educated consumers, delivers the latest research-based information on a wide range of age-related diseases, conditions, issues, features, and news. Of note, the site's Nutrition Information Center recently received a major update.

To learn more about the groundbreaking research being conducted in the field of aging, visit Infoaging at: www.infoaging.org.

Write to Us

We are committed to creating a monthly publication that serves your needs and interests. New Directions, therefore, welcomes your feedback and encourages you to supply ideas, stories, resources, news, and other content for subsequent issues. To make a contribution, please contact Pamela Dudzik at: pdudzik@aannet.org Debbie Latimer at dlatimer@aacn.nche.edu , or Elaine Gould at: elaine.gould@nyu.edu.

Please Note

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