NGNA Launches Research Grant Program

NGNA Launches Research Grant Program

Newsview Duke University Creates End-of-Life Care Institute The Duke University School of Nursing is a participant in the Institute on Care at the End...

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Newsview Duke University Creates End-of-Life Care Institute The Duke University School of Nursing is a participant in the Institute on Care at the End of Life, which emphasizes new interdisciplinary work and brings together people who provide care at the end of life and those who handle related research and policy issues. The institute offers a unique opportunity for interested parties to become leaders in this field and for those at the schools of divinity, nursing, and medicine to share work in this critical area with people in the humanities and other arenas. For more information, contact Linda Haac at (919) 681-8055 or E-mail linda.haac @duke.edu.

CNO Reauthorization Approved In the Balanced Budget Act (BBA) of 1997 is a provision to reauthorize the Community Nursing Organization (CNO) demonstration project for 2 additional years, through December 31, 2001. The four CNOs are nurse-operated programs serving Medicare beneficiaries in home and community-based settings under contracts that provide a fixed monthly capitation payment for each beneficiary who chooses to enroll. Services are accessible and emphasize prevention and self-care measures. The CNO demonstration project originally was authorized under the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987, and actual delivery of health care services began in Jan-

uary 1994. Four sites were selected and today serve approximately 10,000 Medicare beneficiaries. The four participating sites, which vary in structure and setting, are: • Carle Clinic, Urbana, Ill. • Carondelet Health Services, Inc., Tucson, Ariz. • Living at Home Block Nurse Program, St. Paul, Minn. • Visiting Nurse Service of New York, Long Island City, N.Y. Key features of the CNO model include risk assessment of all members at enrollment and designated intervals, matching nursing and clinical resources to member need and risk level, member participation in developing and selecting educational programs and clinical interventions, individual and group interventions, and community-based services. Benefits of the CNO package generally include in-person nursing consultations at least every 6 months; part-time or intermittent nursing care and home health aide services; physical, occupational, or speech therapy; and medical supplies and DME.

“Best Practice” Quality Care Defined for Nursing Home Residents A new UCLA report will give the federal government a tool to determine the necessary labor resources for implementing certain kinds of “best practice” care for nursing home residents. UCLA researchers will address the specific question of whether the actual time required to

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implement care processes that yield quality outcomes within the nursing home environment in fact can be estimated and quantified. The Borun Center report further will examine the care and assistance provided by nursing aides to residents with problems for which data exist that describe best practice processes and time requirements (eg, for incontinence). For more information, contact Cheril Miller at (310) 312-0531 or [email protected].

Urinary Antigen Test Created for Streptococcus pneumoniae The NOW ® Streptococcus pneumoniae Urinary Antigen Test can detect the presence or absence of the most common causes of bacterial pneumonia—Streptococcus pneumoniae—in 15 minutes. Using a noninvasive urine sample, the rapid test format provides immediate results. Benefits include: • Acurate results (93%) in only 15 minutes. • Noninvasive test can be run on-site as part of a patient’s examination. • Fast and simple to perform, the test does not require instrumentation and is ideal for LTC settings. For more information, contact Binax, Inc., customer service at (800) 323-3199, fax (207) 761-2074, or www.binax.com.

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Newsview cont. Oral Therapy for Fecal Impaction and Severe Constipation Validated A study was conducted to determine the efficacy and tolerability of polyethylene glycol/electrolyte solution (Movicol) in patients with documented fecal impaction and severe constipation. A total of 30 patients were included in the study: 16 inpatients and 14 outpatients. To participate, the patients were required to have a history of chronic constipation, no bowel movement for 5 or more days, or a fecal impaction confirmed by digital examination. Patients who were bedridden or had suspected intestinal obstruction or severe inflammatory bowel disease were excluded. Relief of impaction was defined strictly as passage of a large or moderate volume of stool and disappearance of previously palpable fecal masses in the abdomen or rectum. Patients included in the study were treated with 1 L of Movicol given in two 500 mL portions, the second dose 4 to 6 hours later. Complete resolution of constipation/impaction was obtained in 13 patients after 1 day, 11 after 2 days, and one after 3 days. The results of this study suggest that Movicol is highly effective in treating both chronic constipation and fecal impaction; however, additional studies should be conducted to validate these findings. Culbert P, Gillett H, Ferguson A. Highly effective oral therapy (polyethylene glycol/electrolyte solution) for faecal impact and severe constipation. Clin Drug Investigations 1999;16:355-360.

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Heart Failure Noted as Growing Threat to Elderly Deaths from heart failure are rising dramatically among the elderly. According to statistics compiled by the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, 10,000 deaths were attributed to heart failure in 1968. By 1993, that number had jumped to 219,000. In the past, few people lived long enough to experience heart diseases. Although more people are surviving heart attacks than ever before, the heart muscle is damaged and later causes the patient to be at risk for heart failure. With treatment, the condition can remain stable for a period but inevitably will worsen. Ultimately, the only cure is a heart transplant. For more information, contact the National Heart Foundation at (800) 437-AHAF or www.ahaf.org.

CONGRATULATIONS HCR ManorCare Foundation, Inc., a nonprofit corporation established to provide elderly focused philanthropy, has chosen eight organizations across the country to receive $145,600 in grants. The recipients are: • Family Service of Champaign, Ill., for a resource person to provide outreach and information about community services to seniors and their families • Foundation for Interfaith Research and Ministry of Houston, Texas, for the Alzheimer’s Care Team project to train and supervise volunteers in the homes of families caring for a member with Alzheimer disease or another dementia to provide respite opportunities for primary caregivers • Interages of Wheaton, Md., for

the enhancement and expansion of Project SHARE by bringing the vitality of youth into the lives of 150 frail and lonely seniors in adult care centers and assisted living facilities • Kettering Medical Center of Kettering, Ohio, to fund the development of a memory disorders clinic to meet the needs of patients and families • National Osteoporosis Foundation of Washington, D.C., for the Osteoporosis Support Group Leadership Training • Ohio Valley Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers, Inc., of Wheeling, W.V., to recruit, train, and place volunteer caregivers from 27 new faith communities to provide nonprofessional assistance to the elderly • Sinai Family Health Centers of Chicago, Ill., for its Senior Outreach Program that provides culturally sensitive, physician-led outreach, health screenings, and direct service to low income seniors in medically underserved Chicago neighborhoods • St. Patrick Senior Center of Detroit, Mich., for the Senior Health Advocacy and Wellness Program, which provides trained advocates who act as liaisons with community and medical resources to help ill elders obtain services necessary to maintain independence. For more information, call Executive Director Jennifer Steiner at (419) 252-5578. The Elisabeth Severance Prentiss Foundation has awarded Case Western Reserve University’s Frances Payne Bolton (FPB) School of Nursing $700,000 to expand its Gerontological Nurse Practitioner

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Program, a master’s level program that prepares nurses for advanced practice to care for elderly adults in a variety of health care settings. Beverly Roberts, professor and associate dean for academic programs, is directing the project. The Prentiss grant will be used to develop new courses, including one on policy issues relevant to the health of older adults. Clinical experiences also will be expanded to include nursing care specific to the needs of older adults in hospitals and nursing homes and those living independently at home. This expanded coursework, combined with the master’s core curriculum, will lead students toward careers as certified gerontologic nurse practitioners. For details, call Judith Bailey at (216) 368-4442 or [email protected] or Juliana Lucas at (216) 368-3107 or [email protected].

OPPORTUNITIES The National Conference of Gerontological Nurse Practitioners is accepting abstracts for research and practice project presentations for its 19th annual convention. Abstracts focusing on innovative clinical practice models and roles, case presentations, research projects, and other activities relating to gerontologic/advanced practice nursing are encouraged. The convention will be held September 20-23, 2000, in Atlanta; abstracts must be received by June 1. Further information will be posted at the NCGNP website at www.ncgnp.org. Questions can be addressed to Wanda Bonnel at (913) 588-1644 or [email protected]. A great resource for nurses seeking new job positions is www. GreatNurse.com, a free nursing job site with many current ads.

The Geriatric Nurse Consultant (GNC) Program, a division of the GMR Group, offers formal and informal educational and consultative services to all types of geriatric health care settings. The GNC program is sponsored through an unrestricted educational grant from Johnson & Johnson’s Long Term Care Group. GNCs work in partnership with nursing management to provide a full spectrum of consultative services, including care planning, disease management, documentation issues and MDS assessment, as well as work with clinical practitioners to enhance clinical skills. Educational services include formal CNF workshop presentations for nurses, family educational services, and informal unit-specific disease education. For more information, call Regional Manager Roxanne Hughes at (888) 933-5331, ext. 48. The University of Southern California Leonard Davis School of Gerontology began the nation’s first on-line graduate program in gerontology, offering both a graduate certificate and a master of science in gerontology (MSG). The on-line MSG, which provides the same quality curriculum as the traditional on-campus program, was accredited last spring. On-line courses are accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Faculty and staff are available throughout the program to discuss lecture topics and classwork and assist with any technical problems. For more information, contact Edward Schneider, MD, dean of the University of Southern California, at (213) 740-1364, fax (213) 7407069, or E-mail [email protected].

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The Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing at NYU’s Division of Nursing has launched a national initiative, Partners for Dissemination of Best Practices in Care for Older Adults. Baccalaureate schools of nursing and staff development educators at health care facilities are invited to become partners in a twopart institute program. This program provides both faculty and clinical leadership development workshop designs and curriculum and staff in-service lessons plans. Partners will receive an array of ready-made materials that include a specific implementation manual for workshop designs and lesson plans; a 21-topic curriculum guide titled “Best Nursing in Care for Older Adults: Incorporating Essential Gerontological Content into Baccalaureate Education and Staff Development,” and a variety of teaching aids. In addition, the institute provides technical assistance and encourages partners to adapt all materials to their needs. For information about joining this program, call (212) 998-9018 or E-mail [email protected]. The American Nurses Association has joined other health care providers and the Family Violence Prevention Fund to urge health care providers to routinely screen patients for abuse. Screening guidelines, created by the fund in collaboration with health care and domestic violence experts, can be ordered free by calling (888) RXABUSE. The packet also includes tips for domestic violence intervention and assessment, organizing a hospital or clinic to screen for abuse, and background information.

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