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New Directions: The e-Newsletter of the Hartford Geriatric Nursing Initiative | |
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 Volume
5, Issue 8
April 24, 2008 Welcome
to New Directions, a publication of the
In
This Issue
1. 2008 IOM Releases Report on Health Care Workforce 2. Awards for Excellence in Gerontological Nursing Education: It's Not Too Late to Apply! 3. Funding Opportunities: Scholarships & Fellowships 4. Opportunities, Resources & Tools 5. HCGNE News 6. Link of the Month: Older Americans 2008 1. IOM Releases Report on Health Care Workforce
On April 14, 2008, the Institute of Medicine released a report, "Retooling for an Aging America: Building the Health Care Workforce." The report, sponsored in part by the John A. Hartford Foundation, is the result of work by the Committee on the Future Health Care Workforce for Older Americans to determine the health care needs of Americans over 65 years of age and to assess those needs through an analysis of the forces that shape the health care workforce, including education and training, models of care, and public and private programs. Retooling for an Aging America: Building the Health Care Workforce, reports that as the population of older adults grows to comprise approximately 20 percent of the U.S. population, we will face a health care workforce that is too small and critically unprepared to meet older adults’ health needs. If we are to take advantage of the important economic, cultural, and social benefits provided by the largest generation of older adults in our country’s history, we need bold initiatives designed to: We encourage you and your program leaders to consider how your work addresses these goals, as well as the more specific recommendations in the report, and reach out to others in the nursing community and your local media to promote these critical initiatives. For the full IOM report, click here. 2. Awards for Excellence in Gerontological Nursing Education: It's Not Too Late to Apply
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, due May 31, 2008, can be located at: www.aacn.nche.edu/Education/Hartford/pdf/AwardApp.pdf 3. Funding Opportunities: Scholarships & Fellowships
Hartford Institute Geriatric Nursing Research Scholars Program: Deadline Extended! Applications Due: April 24, 2008 The 2008 Hartford Institute Geriatric Nursing Research Scholars Program will take place on 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 be chosen by competitive application process (requires completion of a doctoral degree prior to July 2008). Applications are due April 24, 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. NRSA Postdoctoral Fellowship in Mental Health Services Research for Older Adults The National Research Service Award (NRSA) offers a postdoctoral fellowship in mental health services research for older adults. This NIMH-funded (T-32) two-year postdoctoral Research Training Program provides fellowship training in health services research for older adults with mental disorders. The program is designed for psychiatrists, medical physicians, psychologists, and social/behavioral scientists who are committed to becoming independently supported mental health services researchers. For more information, go to: www.cornellpsychiatry.org/research/geriatric_psychiatry.html or contact Paul Toth, MA, Weill Medical College of Cornell University at 914.997.5914 or pjt2003@med.cornell.edu. NEW! Health and Aging Policy Fellows Program Supported by The Atlantic Philanthropies and administered by Columbia University, the Health and Aging Policy Fellows Program seeks to provide professionals in health and aging with the experience and skills necessary to make a positive contribution to the development and implementation of health policies that affect older Americans. The program offers two different tracks for individual placement: a residential track that includes a 9-to-12-month placement in Washington, DC, or at a state agency (as a legislative assistant in Congress, a professional staff member in an executive agency, or in a policy organization); and a nonresidential track that includes a health policy project and brief placement(s) throughout the year at relevant sites. Core program components focused on career development and professional enrichment are provided for fellows in both tracks. The program is open to physicians, nurses, and social workers at all career stages (early, middle, and late), with a demonstrated commitment to health and aging issues and a desire to be involved in health policy at the federal, state or local level. Other professionals with clinical backgrounds (e.g., pharmacists, dentists, clinical psychologists) working in the field of health and aging are also eligible to apply. Under special circumstances, exceptions may be made for non-clinicians who are in positions that can impact health policy for older Americans at a clinical level. For further information, please visit the Web site at: www.healthandagingpolicy.org or contact Phuong Huynh, Deputy Director of the program, at: huynhpt@pi.cpmc.columbia.edu or 212.543.6213. 4. Opportunities, Resources & Tools
Call for Nominations: The Doris Schwartz Gerontological Nursing Research Award Applications due: June 1, 2008 The Doris Schwartz Gerontological Nursing Research Award, presented by the Gerontological Society of America’s 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 June 1, 2008. For a complete list of past awardees, go to: www.geron.org/awards/List_awardees_pastrecipients.htm#13 . For the nomination form, go to: www.geron.org/awards/sectionawards.html . AACN Faculty Training: Enhancing Gerontology Content in Baccalaureate Courses "We are extremely grateful for the opportunity we had to be pioneer participants in the GNEC Training Institute. The institute was absolutely amazing. The carefully selected speakers were impressive. We are excited to put into action the direction you have given us." -Donna F. Richards, PhD, RN, and Valerie Flattes, RN, GNP, University of Utah In recognition of the need for faculty development in geriatrics, AACN invites faculty to attend one of the upcoming Geriatric Nursing Education Consortium (GNEC) faculty training Institutes. GNEC is an innovative national initiative to enhance geriatric content in senior-level baccalaureate courses. GNEC focuses on faculty development as a necessary precursor to successfully implementing and sustaining enhancements in nursing education programs. This Institute 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, nursing faculty are prepared to lead their colleagues in "gerontologizing" senior-level curricula as well as teaching and mentoring students in the care of older adults. GNEC has now held three of the six scheduled training Institutes. AACN is well on its way to achieving its objective to educate faculty at a majority of the baccalaureate schools of nursing across the country—415 faculty representing 231 schools of nursing from 44 states have been trained thus far. The remaining three institutes are scheduled for October 14–16, 2008 in St. Louis, MO, April 1–3, 2009 in San Diego,CA, and June 24–26, 2009 in Philadelphia, PA. The application deadline for the St. Louis Institute has been extended to June 30, 2008. Thanks to the generous funding by the Hartford Foundation, there is no registration fee or tuition for these Institutes. Up to two applicants per baccalaureate school of nursing are eligible for a stipend to help defer travel expenses. For more information or to apply, see: www.aacn.nche.edu/gnec.htm . Registry of Nursing Research Available Online The Registry of Nursing Research online abstract database, hosted by Sigma Theta Tau honor society, is now available via the Virginia Henderson International Nursing Library. The data posted in the library includes research studies, conference presentations, dissertations, Doctorate in Nursing Practice projects, evidence-based projects, and practice innovations from MAGNET hospitals. Access to this searchable database and other library resources are free and available at anytime. Individuals can submit scientific research studies and selected projects for posting in the library by registering and completing the online form. Organizations can submit conference abstracts and selected projects as a collection for posting in the library by contacting the library manager. Access the site at: http://image.sigmathetatau-email.org/members/569/Library%20flyer.pdf?WT.mc_id=&WT.dcsvid=1289660877 "How To Try This" from the American Journal of Nursing The Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale Carla Graf, MS, RN, CNS-BC Acute illness or a worsening chronic condition can hasten functional decline in older adults. During hospitalization, reduced mobility and other factors may rapidly decrease an older patient's ability to perform activities crucial for independent living, and the effects might be permanent. The Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) Scale assesses a person's ability to perform tasks such as using a telephone, doing laundry, and handling finances. Measuring eight domains, it can be administered in 10 to 15 minutes. The scale may provide an early warning of functional decline or signal the need for further assessment. For a free online video demonstrating use of this assessment, go to: http://links.lww.com/A246. Monitoring Functional Status in Hospitalized Older Adults Meredith Wallace, PhD, APRN, BC Mary Shelkey, PhD, ARNP Created 45 years ago, the Katz Index of Independence in Activities of Daily Living has proven an important tool in measuring an older adult's capacity to care for her- or himself. When a nurse using the tool notes a diminishment in the patient's ability to perform any of six activities—bathing, dressing, toileting, eating, transferring, or remaining continent—further assessment may uncover a reversible cause, such as a chronic or acute condition requiring treatment. A video demonstrating the use of the Katz index is available for free online at: http://links.lww.com/A241. Hot Off the Press! Patient Safety and Quality: An Evidence-based Handbook for Nurses, is now available on the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) website at: www.ahrq.gov/qual/nurseshdbk/ . Chapters can be downloaded individually. Eileen O'Grady, PhD, RN, NP, contributed a chapter titled, "Advanced Practice Registered Nurses: The Impact on Patient Safety and Quality." National Academies Keck Futures Initiative Applications Available The National Academies and the W.M. Keck Foundation believe that fostering opportunities for researchers to cross-disciplinary and professional boundaries is of paramount importance to scientific progress and have designed the Futures Initiative to realize the untapped potential of interdisciplinary research. This year's National Academies Keck Futures Initiative (NAKFI) event focuses on Complexity. It will be held November 12–15, 2008 at the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Center in Irvine, California. The conference will bring together a wide range of scientists, engineers, medical professionals, economists, philosophers, as well as individuals from public and private funding institutions and the science media to explore complexity. Following the conference, nearly $1 million in seed grant monies will be available to participants on a competitive basis in the amounts of $25,000, $50,000, $75,000 and $100,000. The National Academies Keck Futures Initiative will pay for all expenses related to participants' travel to and from the conference, and meals and lodging during the conference. Additional information about the conference, including the online application, is available at: http://www.keckfutures.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Upcoming_Conferences_Complexity. 5.
HCGNE News
Awards Congratulations to Iowa Hartford Center Faculty on awards they received at the Midwest Nursing Research Society's (MNRS) annual meeting in Indianapolis: Congratulations also to Eileen Sullivan-Marx who received the John A. Hartford Geriatric Nursing Research Award from the Eastern Nursing Research Society at its Annual Scientific Meeting in Philadelphia. 6. Link of the Month: Older Americans 2008
Average life expectancy continues to increase, and today's older Americans enjoy better health and financial security than any previous generation. However, rates of gain are inconsistent between the genders and across age brackets, income levels, and racial and ethnic groups. Some critical disparities also exist between older Americans and older people in other industrialized countries. These and other trends are reported in Older Americans 2008: Key Indicators of Well-Being, a unique, comprehensive look at aging in the United States from the Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics.Older Americans 2008, the fourth chartbook prepared by the Forum since 2000, provides an updated, accessible compendium of indicators, drawn from the most reliable official statistics about the well-being of Americans primarily age 65 and over. The indicators are categorized into five broad areas: population, economics, health status, health risks and behaviors and health care. The 160-page report contains data on 38 key indicators—and a one-time special feature on health literacy. To access the chartbook, go to: http://agingstats.gov/agingstatsdotnet/Main_Site/Data/Data_2008.aspx 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
Note
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Copyright 2008 Hartford Geriatric Nursing Initiative (HGNI) |