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New Directions: The e-Newsletter of the Hartford Geriatric Nursing Initiative | |
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 Volume
5, Issue 6
February 14, 2008 Welcome
to New Directions, a publication of the
In
This Issue
1. MedPAC Approves Recommendations on FY 2009 Medicare Payments for Skilled Nursing Facilities, Home Healthcare Agencies 2. 2008 Awards for Excellence in Gerontological Nursing Education 3. Funding Opportunities: Scholarships & Fellowships 4. Opportunities, Resources & Tools 5. Announcements 6. Link of the Month: www.KaiserEDU.org 1. MedPAC Approves Recommendations on FY 2009 Medicare Payments for Skilled Nursing Facilities, Home Healthcare Agencies The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) recently approved recommendations to Congress on fiscal year 2009 Medicare reimbursements to skilled nursing facilities and home healthcare agencies, CQ HealthBeat reports. MedPAC voted to approve a recommendation to freeze FY 2009 Medicare reimbursements to skilled nursing facilities at current rates, "citing projected aggregate Medicare margins of 11.4%," according to CQ HealthBeat. In addition, MedPAC voted to recommend the establishment of a pay-for-performance program for skilled nursing facilities despite opposition from Commissioner William Scanlon, who said that such a program requires additional tests before implementation. MedPAC also approved a package of recommendations to improve quality measurements for skilled nursing facilities. MedPAC also voted to approve a recommendation to freeze FY 2009 Medicare reimbursements to home healthcare agencies at current rates. According to MedPAC, the recommendation would have a limited effect on Medicare beneficiaries and providers but would reduce spending by $250 million, to $750 million in 2009, and by $1.5 billion, to $5 billion, after five years. In addition, MedPAC voted to approve a recommendation to eliminate a previously recommended 1 percent increase in FY 2009 Medicare reimbursements for inpatient rehabilitation facilities. MedPAC also voted to approve a recommendation to increase FY 2009 Medicare reimbursements for long-term care hospitals by an estimated 1.6 percent. Previously, MedPAC recommended a freeze on FY 2009 Medicare reimbursements for LTCHs (Carey, CQ HealthBeat, 1/10/08). 2. 2008 Awards for Excellence in Gerontological Nursing Education
The American Association of Colleges of Nursing, in collaboration with The John A. Hartford Foundation Institute for Geriatric Nursing, is now accepting applications for the annual Awards for Excellence in Gerontological Nursing Education. Schools and programs of nursing that offer baccalaureate or graduate degrees and demonstrate a strong commitment to geriatric nursing are encouraged to apply. Applicant programs may be large or small, new or well-established. One entry per award category per school. The following are the four NEW award categories: The 2008 Awards announcement and application can be located at: www.aacn.nche.edu/Education/Hartford/pdf/AwardApp.pdf. The deadline for applications is May 1, 2008. 3. Funding Opportunities: Scholarships & Fellowships
Practice Change Fellows Program: Enhancing Leadership in Geriatric Care 2008 Call For Applications The Practice Change Fellows program is now accepting applications for the 2008 award cycle. This program is designed to develop healthcare leaders who can effectively promote high quality care to older adults. Eligible applicants must hold a leadership role in a health organization or institution and have service line or programmatic responsibility for care to older adults. They must be senior enough in their organization to have decision-making authority and be able to effectuate change. Nurses, physicians, and social workers are eligible to apply. Applications and more details are available at: www.practicechangefellows.org. The application deadline for the 2008 award cycle is April 2, 2008. Up to ten Practice Change Fellows are selected through a national competition for each award cycle. Fellows receive $90,000 over the two-year program and work with accomplished national mentors to design, implement, and evaluate a new project. The program is funded by the Atlantic Philanthropies and The John A. Hartford Foundation, and administered by the Division of Health Care Policy and Research at the University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center in partnership with the National Council on Aging. For more information please visit: www.practicechangefellows.org. Hartford Institute Geriatric Nursing Research Scholars Program The 2008 Hartford Institute Geriatric Nursing Research Scholars Program will take place July 14–18, 2008, at NYU College of Nursing in New York City. The program will be taught by 1998 Hartford Institute Summer Fellows, Drs. Liz Capezuti (NYU), Deborah Chyun (Yale University), and Meredeth Rowe (University of Florida). The program is underwritten by a generous grant from the John A. Hartford Foundation and is administered by the BAGNC program of the American Academy of Nursing (AAN). The cost of the seminar for participants is $1,000. Housing is provided at a hotel within walking distance. Twelve scholars will chosen by competitive application process (requires completion of a doctoral degree prior to July 2008). Applications are due April 9, 2008. See the Hartford Institute Web site at: www.hartfordign.org or contact Dr. Liz Capezuti at: ec65@nyu.edu for an application/program description. 4.
Opportunities, Resources & Tools
Call for Nominations: The Doris Schwartz Gerontological Nursing Research Award The Doris Schwartz Gerontological Nursing Research Award, presented by the Gerontological Society of America's (GSA) Health Sciences section, in collaboration with the Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing, is given to a member of the GSA in recognition of outstanding and sustained contribution to geriatric nursing research. The person selected will present a special lecture at the nursing special interest group meeting during the annual meeting of GSA. This award carries a cash prize of $300. A nomination form must be accompanied by a one-page statement describing the nominee's contribution, the nominee's CV, and a statement of significance of the nominee's contribution to improving the lives of older persons. Applications are due May 5, 2008. For a complete list of past awardees, visit: www.geron.org/awards/List_awardees_pastrecipients.htm#13. For the nomination form, go to: www.geron.org/awards/sectionawards.html. New Gero-Focused PhD Program at University of Utah HCGNE The University of Utah Hartford Center of Geriatric Nursing Excellence is developing a gerontology-focused PhD program that will allow students to 'educate in place.' The program of study is offered through the College of Nursing's distance learning PhD program, patterned after the nationally-acclaimed oncology-focused distance PhD program. The program uses cutting-edge technology to deliver courses in a live format over the internet. The first cohort of students will begin their program of study in January 2009, with an application deadline of July 17, 2008. The recruitment process has begun, and the University of Utah is asking for your help. If you know nurses or if you have colleagues who you believe would be strong candidates for this program, please encourage them to explore the Web site or send their contact information (including e-mail addresses) to: hartford@nurs.utah.edu. They will be contacted directly with information. AACN Faculty Training: Enhancing Gerontology Content in Baccalaureate Courses AACN is accepting online applications for the upcoming Faculty Development Institutes offered through the Geriatric Nursing Education Consortium (GNEC). GNEC is an innovative national initiative to enhance geriatric content in senior-level baccalaureate courses. Administered by AACN, this program provides nursing educators with the skills, knowledge, and resources needed to ensure that the best geriatric practices are imbedded in baccalaureate curricula and subsequently in the clinical care provided by newly educated nurses. Using a train-the-trainer approach, nurse faculty attending the GNEC institutes are expected to serve as leaders and mentors by sharing their new expertise with colleagues. This program is generously funded by The John A. Hartford Foundation. The Geriatric Nursing Education Consortium (GNEC) Institutes have been consistently oversubscribed and very well-reviewed by participants. To date, 232 schools of nursing have been represented. The next two institutes are scheduled for October 14–16, 2008, in St. Louis, MO, and April 1–3, 2009, in San Diego, CA. For more information or to apply, visit: www.aacn.nche.edu/gnec.htm. HCGNE at Arizona State Offers Research Seminar The Hartford Center for Geriatric Nursing Excellence at Arizona State University, College of Nursing & Healthcare Innovation, is offering a Spring Visiting Scholars research seminar to increase expertise in aging at ASU. Dr. Norma Martínez Rogers, Associate Professor, the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, will be discussing Cultural Diversity: An Essential Component of Nursing and Comadriando thru Mentorship on March 24, 2008. Dr. Geri Hall from the Iowa Hartford Center of Geriatric Nursing Excellence and Jan Dougherty from the Banner Alzheimer's Institute will speak on January 24, 2008. For more information or to RSVP, contact Shannon Lunsford at: shannon.lunsford@asu.edu. Get Ready for GSA 2008 The Call for Papers for the 61st Annual Scientific Meeting of the Gerontological Society of America (GSA) is available online now. This year's theme is "Toward Resilience in Aging." The deadline for abstract submissions is March 14, 2008. For more information, visit: www.agingconference.com. Geriatric ELNEC Course: Register Now The Hospice Institute, in conjunction with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, is hosting an End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC) on March 13–14, 2008, in Mayfield Heights, OH. Registration is now being accepted at: www.hospicewr.org. During the two day course, participants will review the nine-module ELNEC/geriatric syllabus. Each module is accompanied by objectives, outline, PowerPoint slides, talking points for each slide, references, case studies, and supplemental teaching materials. The course, geared for staff nurses, advanced practice nurses, undergraduate and graduate nursing faculty, CE providers, staff development educators, and nursing administrators, is designed to give participants a syllabus that will support future educational endeavors. The registration fee is $500 before February 29, 2008; after February 29, it is $550. For complete registration information visit the Web site at: www.hospicewr.org. Further information about the ELNEC Project can be found at: www.aacn.nche.edu/ELNEC. Try This! Assessment Series from The Hartford Institute The Hospital Admission Risk Profile Functional decline in older adults is often linked to acute hospital admissions and can have devastating consequences, including increased mortality. The Hospital Admission Risk Profile (HARP) is a practical, easy to use instrument that can identify patients at risk for functional decline during and after an acute hospital admission. For more information about this tool, visit: www.hartfordign.org/publications/trythis/issue24.pdf. American Journal of Nursing Presents How to Try This: "Recognition of Dementia in Hospitalized Older Adults" Katie Maslow, MSW, and Mathy Mezey, EdD, RN, FAAN Many hospital patients admitted with an underlying dementia have either never been diagnosed or have no diagnosis in their records. Because of the numerous increased risks for poor outcomes associated with dementia, the absence of this information is problematic for the patient and for the interdisciplinary team. "Recognition of Dementia in Hospitalized Older Adults" is a tool that incorporates patient behavior triggers that should alert staff to a possible dementia and a brief family questionnaire that can better determine functional status and need for further work-up. This article describes the Try This approaches, how to implement them, and how to incorporate them into a hospital's current admission procedures. For a free online video demonstrating the use of these approaches, go to: links.lww.com/A216. This video also includes an interdisciplinary discussion outlining specific interventions to improve safety and care of the patient during hospitalization; information to help the family cope with the likelihood of post-operative delirium and the specific plan staff has developed to address that problem; and issues to address in order to manage discharge to home. For more information on the How to Try This series, visit: www.nursingcenter.com/library/static.asp?pageid=730390. 5.
Announcements
Hartford Institute Launches New NICHE Web Site NICHE (Nurses Improving Care for Health System Elders) is a national, hospital-based program providing tools for assessing nurses' attitudes and knowledge of care for older adults, nursing models of care for better outcomes, and protocols addressing key geriatric clinical conditions. The NICHE Web site provides a program overview/history, examples of innovative NICHE programming and profiles, a description of clinical resources and GIAP benchmarking, individual Web pages for NICHE sites, and NICHE research and publications. It also provides on-line NICHE conference registration at: www.nicheprogram.org/events. It addition, there is a members-only section of the site that provides detailed resources for Geriatric Resource Nurses, nursing assistants, and general hospital staff; training modules for organizational best practices (e.g., restraint reduction, pressure ulcer prevention); and a Wikipedia-like compendium of topics (e.g., criteria, procedures, and job description of sitters). Visit the site at: www.nicheprogram.org. Oregon Nursing Home Summit The John A. Hartford Center of Geriatric Nursing Excellence at Oregon Health & Science Center, in conjunction with the Northwest Health Foundation, held the "Oregon Nursing Home Summit" on February 12, 2008. The purpose of the Summit was to bring together all of the individuals and organizations who are committed to improving nursing home care in Oregon to better understand the various initiatives that are under way or being proposed. For more information, contact Terri Harvath, HCGNE National Nursing Home Collaborative Coordinator at OHSU, at: Harvatht@ohsu.edu. New Centers of Geriatric Nursing Excellence Web Sites For links to the Web sites of the new Hartford Centers of Geriatric Nursing Excellence, please go to: www.geriatricnursing.org/hcgne. The new Centers are located at Arizona State University, Pennsylvania State University, University of Minnesota, and University of Utah. 6.
Link of the Month: www.KaiserEDU.org KaiserEDU.org is designed to provide students, faculty, and others with easy access to the latest data, research, analysis, and developments in health policy. This site includes narrated slide tutorials, background reference libraries, and issue modules on current topics and policy debates. Topics include health and the law, health systems, HIV/AIDS, Medicaid/SCHIP, Medicare, minority health, prescription drugs, quality of care, the uninsured, and women's health. Visit the site at: www.kaiseredu.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 Malvina Kluger at malvina.kluger@nyu.edu. Please
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