Study Finds Linkage 55 Percent of Nurses Are Overweight or Obese

Yesterday, Olivia Katrandjian, reporting for ABC News, shared the results of a recently published study that found 55% of nurses are overweight or obese. The study found that nursing schedules affected not only the health, in regards to the body mass index (BMI) of the nurses, but the quality of care they delivered to patients.While this study was published in the November 2011 issue of the Journal of Nursing Administration, it is now receiving press coverage around the country. This study also builds off of previous findings that found working long shifts and having too little time off were most often related to the death of patients.

Click here to read the news article.

Click here to read the study as published in JoNA.

Why The Florida Nursing Shortage Matters

Earlier today, Kathleen Long, Dean of the University of Florida College of Nursing, was featured as a guest columnist in The Gainesville Sun. Dr. Long discussed the future implications of the nursing shortage in Florida, citing the work of University of Pennsylvania's nurse staffing expert, Dr. Linda Aiken, as well as the IOM's Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health report.

Click here to read the full article.

Click here to read other blogposts relating to the IOM's report.

Nursing's Impact Beyond Care: Nurses Help Fight Crime

Yesterday, Jerry Large, of The Seattle Times, reported on a innovative program that aims to reduce crime and poverty by utilizing visiting nurses in low-income communities. King County's initiative, the Nurse-Family Partnership, utilizes 24 registered nurses that work with young women during their first pregnancies and through the baby's second birthday. Results of this initiative have been promising, with studies showing that the initiative has led to improved health and education for the mothers and children impacted by the outreach effort.

Click here to read the article.

Video: Function Focused Care: Optimizing Function and Activity Among Older Adults

Two weeks ago, INQRI grantee, Barbara Resnick, PhD, RN, CRNP, FAAN, FAANP, guest lectured at the University of Pennsylvania's Institute of Aging. Dr. Resnick's presentation focused on her work addressing function focused care and the outcomes associated with this cost-effective intervention. We encourage all of you to view this candid lecture on how function focused care can improve the lives of elderly individuals in assisted living, skilled-nursing facilities as well as acute care.

Click here to view the video.

Nursing Programs Aim To Help Seniors

This past weekend, Amanda Cuda, reporting for CTpost.com, detailed how universities in Connecticut have altered their curriculum and training efforts to address to prominent issues for the geriatric population, medication management and fall prevention. These programs reflect the evolving care trends as the baby boomer generation continues to age.

Click here to read the article.

Click here to read other blogposts relating to medication management.

Click here to read other blogposts relating to fall prevention.

Nursing Schools Adapt Programs' Foci To Reflect Change in Nursing Workforce

This past weekend, Sarah Bruyn Jones, reporting for The Roanoke Times, discussed the new educational pathways nursing schools in Virginia are creating in order to better prepare their students for the changing role of nurses in the healthcare workforce for the 21st century. The article highlights how some universities are cutting back on their undergraduate programs and emphasizing advanced practices degrees, which aligns with recommendations made in the IOM's Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health report.

Click here to read the article.

Click here to read other blogposts relating to the IOM's report.

Nurses Use IPhones For Work At Boston Hospital

This past week, Massachusetts General Hospital introduced an innovative clinical communication technology that is used on smartphones. This communication device allows nurses to recieve care alerts, make phone calls over the hospital's Wi-Fi network and manage workflow through text messages. Nurses at Mass General have already heralded the software's impact on their efficiency in responding their patients' needs.

Click here or here to read more about the new technology implemented at Mass Gen Hospital.

Innovative Program Run By Nurses Assist Troubled Teens Graduate High School

Yesterday, Kim Vallez, of local FOX affialiate KASA, detailed a program being conducted at the University of New Mexico Hospital to address low graduation rates among teenagers in high schools in the surrounding area. The program, "Nursing Diversity Pipeline", teaches teenagers from low graduation rate areas the basics of health care including CPR and first aid, as well as educating them about all the different professions that help a hospital run. So far, the program has been rather successful with around 80% of participating teenagers completing the program and graduating high school.

Click here to read the article.

New York State Initiative to Educate The Nursing Workforce: "BSN in 10"

A few weeks ago, we reported on the proposed legislation in the New York State Senate that would require Registered Nurses to obtain a BSN within 10 years of initial employment. Following up on this post, we are sharing another article with you that discussed the significance and challenges associated with this legislation. Christine Loman, of the The Evening Tribune, discussed the importance of nurses with associates degrees obtaining their BSNs and how this will be beneficial to not only the nurses themselves, but the patients they care for. This proposed legislation addresses the fourth recommendation in the IOM's Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health report that proposed an increase in the proportion of nurses with a baccalaureate degree to 80 percent by 2020.

Click here to read the article.

Click here to read the blogpost from a couple weeks ago also addressing the "BSN in 10" initiative.

Nursing Practices Reduce Errors

We are pleased to share with you a recent news article, written by Stephanie Bouchard, Associate Editor for healthcarefinancenews.com, that gave an overview of a recently funded INQRI study. The article highlights a study conducted by Dr. Linda Flynn and her colleagues at Rutgers University that focuses on identifying nursing care practices and work environment management practices used by nurses on medical-surgical units that prevent medication errors and improve patient safety.

Click here to read the full article.

Click here to read other blogposts discussing the work of INQRI grantees.

Northeast Florida Hospitals Reducing Readmissions With Nurse Intervention

Yesterday, the Florida Times Union reported on the implementation of a new discharge intervention at St. Vincent’s HealthCare. The intervention, which includes an educational component for patients in the health system, utilizes follow-up phone calls and care in an effort to reduce readmission rates among high risk patients. The intervention also includes a dedicated nurse practitioner who provides transitional care for heart failure patients, which includes home visits and follow-up calls as previously noted.

Click here to read the full news article.

Click here to read other blogposts related to readmissions.

Nurse Leaders on Boards Video Interviews

The Center to Champion Nursing in America has recently released a set of twenty-four video interviews with various nurses serving on boards. The website also includes a link to a complementary PowerPoint presentation that highlights the importance and significance of nurses taking up these type of leadership roles.

Click here to view the interviews.

Click here to view the PowerPoint presentation.

Non-Profit Nursing Home Staff Happier Than Their For-Profit Counterparts

Last week, Paula Span, of the New York Times, detailed the findings of a recently published study that found nursing home ownership status was significantly related to job satisfaction. The study, published in the September 2011 issue of The Gerontologist, was conducted by a research team that included INQRI grantee, Linda Flynn, PhD, RN, FAAN, as well as INQRI NAC member, Linda H. Aiken, PhD, RN, FAAN. While this study may not have been published in 2012, Ms. Span's discussion of the study's findings in last week's New York Times demonstrates that this issue will be of great importance as the baby boomer generation continues to age and more adult children are faced with the task of finding the best care facilities for their loved ones.

Click here to read Ms. Span's article.

Click here to read the study as published in The Gerontologist (subscription required).

Counting on Nurses to Fill New Jersey's Primary Care Gap

During the holiday break, Patricia A. Barnett, Chief Executive Officer of the New Jersey State Nurses Association & Institute for Nursing, wrote an editorial that detailed how allowing nurse practitioners to practice to the full extent of their training will ease the upcoming primary care shortage plaguing New Jersey. The suggestions made by Ms. Barnett align with the recommendations made by IOM's Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health report, which seek to bolster the nursing field while improving health care in the United States.

Click here to read Ms. Barnett's editorial.

Click here to read all blogposts relating to the IOM's report.

Two INQRI Blogposts To Help Ring In 2012

We are pleased to share with all of you two blogposts written by an INQRI grantee and INQRI's Program Associate that were recently featured on RWJF's Human Capital Blog.

The first blogpost is written by INQRI's Program Associate, Heather Kelley-Thompson, MA, whom many of you may have corresponded with over the years.

Click here to read Ms. Kelley-Thompson's collective New Year's resolution.

The second blogpost is written by INQRI grantee, Nancy E. Donaldson, RN, DNSc, FAAN. Dr. Donaldson's blogpost discussed how self-empowerment and the IOM's Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health report has, and will continue to shape her New Year's resolution through 2012.

Click here to read Dr. Donaldson's New Year's resolution.

New York Bill Would Require Four Year Registered Nursing Degrees

We hope that everyone had a safe and happy holiday season!

Last week, The Washington Post reported on a new bill being considered by the New York State Senate that will require all registerd nurses to obtain bachelor’s degrees within 10 years in order to keep working in the state. This intiative, “BSN in 10”, is supported by major nursing and health policy organizations across the country. The proposed legislation also directly addresses recommendation #4 made in the IOM's Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health report.

Click here to read the article.

Click here to read all blogposts relating to the IOM's report.