Happy Holidays from the INQRI Program

We would like to wish everyone a safe and happy holiday and new year!

Best wishes from everyone at INQRI.

The blog will be taking an extended break until January 3rd. Check back then for the latest and greatest in nursing news!

Pharmacists and Nurses Are The Most Effective Health Care 'Voices' in Promoting Medication Adherence

As reported on PRnewswire.com, a new study has found that nurses are the second most influential voice encouraging patients to stay on their medications. The study reviewed over forty years of published medical journals and found that hospital-based nurses are more effective than pharmacists communicating to a patient via the telephone or doctors instructing patients regarding prescriptions.

Click here to read the article

Baltimore Area Universities Address Nursing Shortage

On Sunday, Andrea K. Walker of the Baltimore Sun detailed how numerous universities in the Baltimore area have been increasing nursing degree programs on a variety of levels. In the article, Ms. Walker describes how Johns Hopkins University and Stevenson University have introduced new accelerated degree programs while the College of Notre Dame of Maryland has introduced an entry-level bachelor's program. In addition, Ms. Walker acknowledges that Coppin State University is seeking to create a doctoral in nursing program.

Click here to read the article.

Click here to read more about the Initiative on the Future of Nursing committee's report: "The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health".

Nurse Led Team Improves Outcomes for High-Risk Patients With Diabetes

Last week, Newswise.com detailed how Professor Kathleen Falk of the New York City College of Technology and chairperson of the Adult Day Health Council has successfully completed a study addressing diabetes management issues in low-income communities. In the study, Professor Falk and her team provided a community-based care plan followed by testing and evaluation every three months to monitor disease markers. Within the first three months of the study, Professor Falk's team observed 60% of the participants have a decrease in A1C(blood sugar) levels.

Click here to access the full news article

Click here to read about INQRI grantees' work on Diabetes prevention

Great Editorial Detailing How Collaboration With Nurses Will Be Essential For The Future of Healthcare

This month's edition of The Journal of Family Practice features an editorial by Editor-In-Chief Jeffrey Sussman, MD. Dr. Sussman's editorial titled, "It’s time to collaborate—not compete—with NPs" details how physicians should embrace collaborating with nurses and allow them to practice to the full extent of their education and training. In addition, Dr. Sussman cites additional recommendations from the IOM's report: "The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health" as important topics of interest for family physicians to not only consider, but adopt.

Nursing Recommendations Highlighted in the New England Journal of Medicine

It is with great pleasure to share two articles featured on the New England Journal of Medicine's website discussing how implementing recommendations made by the IOM's report: "The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health," will have a tremendous impact on how care is delivered in the United States. One of these articles was written by Linda H. Aiken, Ph.D., R.N., an INQRI NAC member.

Dr. Aiken's piece titled, "Nurses for the Future," addresses the importance of both current and future nurses obtaining advanced degrees in order fill the pending gap in nurse faculty, instructors and leadership roles.

Julie A. Fairman, Ph.D., R.N, et al.'s essay titled, "Nurses' Scope of Practice," explains how broadening the scope of nursing practice will increase the effectiveness of primary care while lowering costs.

Click here to access the Intiative for the Future of Nursing website.

Click here to access Monday's blogpost which summarizes recent news stories from around the country regarding the IOM's report.

Recent INQRI Grantee's Work Recognized By Local TV Station

Last week, an INQRI funded interdisciplinary team led by Michele Balas, Ph.D. and William Burke, M.D of the University of Nebraska was featured on local ABC affiliate station, KHGI, in Nebraska. The article, which is a reprint of an Associated Press piece, highlights the goals and importance of the teams' work.

The main goal of this project is to implement, analyze, and disseminate an evidence-based, nurse-led, inter-professional, multi-component program focused on improving the care and outcomes of critically ill adults. The study will focus on applying a program of delirium screening, prevention, and treatment developed at Vanderbilt University.

Click here to read the article.

Click here to read more about this study and other recent INQRI grantees' work.

Check Out Tomorrow's Edition of WIHI: "The Patient Activist"

"The Patient Activist"
Thursday, December 16, 2010, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM Eastern Time

The Institute for Healthcare Improvement recently held it's first summit on patient activism in Orlando, Florida, with about 50 patient activist leaders.  Learn about the ways that summit participants considered combining forces to improve healthcare.

Guests:

• Bill Thatcher, Executive Director, Cautious Patient Foundation
• Barbara Balik, RN, EdD, Senior Faculty, Institute for Healthcare Improvement
• Tricia Pil, MD, Medical Writer, University Health Sciences Project Coordinator, Patient Activist
• Charles Maclean, PhD, Founder, PhilanthropyNow

Click here for free registration.

WIHI is an exciting "talk show" program from IHI, connecting you to the cutting edge of health care improvement. It’s free, it’s timely, and it’s designed to help dedicated legions of health care improvers worldwide keep up with some of the freshest and most robust thinking and strategies for improving patient care. A 60-minute program is offered live every other week, or you can listen to recordings of the broadcast later at your convenience. WIHI is your opportunity to meet up with colleagues who want to improve patient care and shape a true health reform agenda.

Future of Nursing Report in the News

The recent National Summit on Advancing Health Through Nursing has gained much attention in the media.  Check out the following stories:

"The Future of Nursing/The Future of the IOM Report"
The Harford Foundation blog: Rachael Watman
 "On November 30 and December 1 about 500 nurses and health care leaders convened in Washington, DC, to launch the Robert Wood Johnson (RWJ)-funded Institute of Medicine (IOM) “Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health” report."

"UAH symposium focuses on growing role of nurses as national health care changes"
The Huntsville Times: Paul Gattis
"Nurses should be at the forefront of health care reform, according to a recent national report."

"‘Problems Worthy of Attack’: Takeaways from IOM Summit on Nursing’s Future"
AJN: Off the Charts: Shawn Kennedy
"Last week, I spent two days at the summit convened by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to launch the Campaign for Action—the strategic plan to implement the recommendations of the Institute of Medicine’s (IOM) report on the future of nursing."

"An 'Action-Oriented Blueprint' for the Future of Nursing"
American Journal of Nursing: Susan B. Hassmiller
"On October 5, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) released a new report, The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health, an unequivocal call to action for all who care about improving health care in this country."

"The Future of Nursing, A New Initiative"
About.com: Michael Bihari Health Insurance
"Given the serious shortage of primary care physicians in the U.S. (which most likely will get worse as the Accountable Care Act is fully implemented), I read with great interest the executive summary of The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health, an examination of the nursing workforce."

National Summit on Advancing Health through Nursing

Last week, the National Summit on Advancing Health through Nursing brought together diverse leaders from around the country. Health care, academia, business, government and philanthropic leaders came together to discuss the implications of the Institute of Medicine's Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health recommendations. The more than 500 participants attending the Summit worked to identify strategies for implementing the recommendations and discussed overcoming barriers to adopting them.

To help continue the discussions and action planning from the Summit, several tools are available on the Initiative on the Future of Nursing website, including:

· the archived webcast,
· blog posts from RWJF Nurse Faculty Scholars,
· photos of speakers and participants, and
· select materials from presenters, including the slides from Sue Hassmiller's presentation.

View all the Summit videos, tools and resources.

New Grantee Team's Work Highlighted on Kansas Public Radio

This week, Dr. Nancy Dunton of the University of Kansas was featured on Kansas Public Radio to discuss her INQRI funded study, "Dissemination and Implementation of Evidence-Based Methods to Measure and Improve Pain Outcomes." This project, co-led by Dr. Susan Beck of the University of Utah, will disseminate and implement evidence-based approaches to measure and improve pain care and outcomes in a sample of 100 hospitals across the United States. The program is unique in forging a partnership with the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators® (NDNQI).

Click here to access the audio interview.

Click here to find out more information about other recent INQRI funded projects.

This recent study is based on the work of Dr. Beck's 2006 INQRI study, "Measuring Nursing Care Quality Related to Pain Management."

Multidisciplinary Organization and Outcomes for Chronic Heart Failure Patients in the VA

This presentation was made at the fifth annual meeting of the Interdisciplinary Nursing Quality Research Initiative and was given by Joanne Disch and Doug Wholey. This research team tested a theory of the effect of nurse-physician co-leadership, the effective modeling by nurses and physicians of individual role behaviors and a strong shared inter-professional relationship, in chronic heart failure care groups in Veterans Health Administration medical centers.

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Bloodstream Infections Tied to Excess Mortality in ICU

Last week, Nursingcenter.com featured a study conducted in Europe from the December edition of The Lancet Infectious Diseases Journal that found bloodstream infections are tied to excess mortality in ICU patients. This study is similar to one that was led by INQRI alumnae Dr. David Thompson and Dr. Jill Marsteller of Johns Hopkins University.

Click here to access the article from nursingcenter.com.

Click here to learn more about Dr. Thompson's and Dr. Marsteller's INQRI project, "Linking Blood Stream Infection Rates to Intensive Care."

Previous INQRI blog posts on this topic include:  

• New Study Shows Inconsistent Reporting Methods Related to HAIs for Pediatric Patients October 4, 2010
• It's Working! - June 21, 2010
• More News About Reducing Bloodstream Infections - June 14, 2010
• 44 Illinois Hospital ICUs Reported Zero CLABSIs Last Year - May 20, 2010
• Commonwealth Webinar on Eliminating CLABSIs - April 20, 2010
• They All Agree... - March 12, 2010

The Effects of Nurse Presenteeism on Quality of Care and Patient Safety

This presentation was made at the fifth annual meeting of the Interdisciplinary Nursing Quality Research Initiative and was given by Susan Letvak and Sat Gupta. The primary aim of this project was to evaluate the influence of presenteeism (decreased productivity due to health problems) on hospital Registered Nurses' quality of patient care. A secondary aim is to assess economic costs to the healthcare system associated with presenteeism. The study used a mixed methods (quantitative survey and qualitative focus groups) design of RNs in North Carolina.

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Utilizing Nurses: Lowering Costs and Increasing Efficiency

Relating to the recommendations made by the Initiative on the Future of Nursing committee's report: "The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health," Kendric Ward of the Sunshine State News discussed how allowing nurse practitioners to practice as they do in other states can save the state of Florida $1 billion.
Click here to read the article.

The notion of nurses practicing to the full scope of their abilities and training is clearly illustrated in two other articles published last week.

David Wahlberg of the Wisconsin State Journal discussed how midwives provide essential maternity care in rural, poverty stricken areas where hospitals have been closed due to budget cuts.

Click here to read the article.

Continuing the theme of utilizing nurses' skill sets, the ORTHOSuperSite detailed how nurses conducting back exams lead to shorter wait times and quicker diagnosis.

Click here to read the article.

The Res-Care-AL Intervention Study

This presentation was made at the fifth annual meeting of the Interdisciplinary Nursing Quality Research Initiative and depicts a randomized controlled trial to test a restorative care intervention for assisted living. The project incorporated patient centered outcomes (falls); nursing centered outcomes (restorative care services); and system-centered outcomes (staff turnover) as designated by the National Quality Forum. The primary aim of this study was to maintain or improve the residents' physical activity, physical status, function, and length of stay in the facility. The secondary aim related to residents' focuses on mood, life satisfaction, resilience, self-efficacy and outcome expectations, social-support for exercise, and person-environment fit. This team was co-led by Barbara Resnick, PhD, CRNP, a nurse researcher, and Sheryl Zimmerman, PhD, MSW, a social worker.

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Modern Healthcare Web Session on Nurses, Quality and Patient Safety

On December 15, Modern Healthcare is offering a free web session: "When Nurses Lead the Way on Quality Improvement and Patient Safety."

Click here to register for the session which will answer these important questions:

• How can nurse leadership spur success in quality and performance improvement?
• Are current nurse-led patient safety programs meeting their goals?
• Are nurse leaders able to successfully engage physicians and promote a culture of teamwork among clinicians?
• What are some effective ways to use nurse leadership in your own organization’s safety initiatives?

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

8 am pacific/9 am mountain/10 am central/11 am eastern
FREE REGISTRATION!