A dementia care model designed by a licensed nurse has been recognized by the American Academy of Nursing (AAN). The president-elect of the American Nephrology Nurses Association (ANNA) is voicing concern for nurses in the nephrology field as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. Male triplets at a Connecticut nursing school are expected to graduate together. A nursing podcast highlights people who are changing the status quo in healthcare. Read on for more nursing news and insights.
Nurse’s dementia care model recognized by AAN
A program care model that has been designed by a licensed nurse and is aimed at providing specialized support to patients who are living with dementia has been recognized by the American Academy of Nursing (AAN) as an “Academy Edge Runner.”
According to the AAN, an Academy Edge Runner is an innovative model of care or intervention that is nurse-driven and offers significant, demonstrated outcomes to improve health, impact cost, and influence policy.
“A Caring Science Model of Specialized Dementia Care for Transforming Practice and Advancing Health Equity” was created by María de los Ángeles Ortega, DNP, APRN, GNP-BC, PMHNP-BC, CDP, FAANP, FAAN. The program is housed at the Louis and Anne Green Memory and Wellness Center at Florida Atlantic University.
The AAN says that the model creatively guarantees delivery of effective, high-quality programs and services dedicated to aging individuals, including those living with intellectual and developmental disabilities, specifically those with Down syndrome, who also exhibit symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease or Related Dementias (ADRD), or those at risk for developing ADRD.
In addition, through evidence-based behavioral symptom management training and expert consultation, the program provides family caregivers and staff with the resources and education to support patients’ health and their own well-being.
“The Academy is proud to recognize this unique and timely program as an Edge Runner,” said Kenneth R. White, PhD, AGACNP, ACHPN, FACHE, FAAN, president of the AAN. “The focus of this model, adults with special needs, highlights the vital role nurses play in supporting all members of the public to advance wellness and health equity.”
The intent of the program is to create a healing environment that would help individuals living with ADRD and their families to be as physically, socially, and emotionally healthy as possible.
Through a comprehensive array of personalized services and programs of care, support, research, education, and community outreach, the model is expected to help advance the future of dementia care by focusing on opening, advancing, and expanding the specialized dementia work needed to increase access to care and to meet the complex needs of patients.
During the coronavirus pandemic, the program successfully transitioned almost all services offered pre-COVID to virtual telehealth, telemedicine-based platforms, and tele-social work services, according to AAN officials.
In the last two years, the program has also expanded to include behavioral and mental health services for patients and caregivers, integrating psychiatry and psychotherapy consultations and treatment. The project has expanded to meet the needs of persons who cannot readily come to the facilities and those who are uninsured.
“Dr. Ortega’s expertise in specialized dementia work will continue to transform the system of dementia care delivery with its focus on personalized services and community-based resources,” said Dr. White. “Through the power of social connection and authentic engagement, Dr. Ortega is a leader in making Florida a healthier place to live for individuals with ADRD and their families.”
More information about the model can be found online. Academy Edge Runner profiles can also be viewed online.
Related CE course: The Alzheimer’s Disease Caregiver: Nursing Interventions and Support
ANNA’s president-elect urges for nurse advocacy
Angela “Angie” Kurosaka, DNP, RN, CNN, CCM, NEA-BC, president-elect of the American Nephrology Nurses Association (ANNA) is voicing concern specifically for nurses in the nephrology field as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.
In an editorial published in the current edition of the ANNA’s official journal, Kurosaka writes about the strain on nephrology nurses due to the increase in COVID patients who require some type of kidney replacement therapy.
Compounded with what she describes as long-time staffing concerns in the field, the pandemic has contributed to an ongoing crisis that requires strategies to increase nurse satisfaction and reduce burnout.
She calls for funding for nursing faculty, better education for more students, and support of those already in the field so that they feel more valued, engaged, and empowered to provide necessary patient care. Equal pay and equal environmental factors are among the deficits that she claims nurses in this field are experiencing.
The full article can be found online.
Male triplets at Connecticut nursing school expected to graduate together
At a time when less than 15 percent of registered nurses working in the United States are men, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, three brothers at Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU) in New Haven are one year away from earning licensure together.
Zach, Andrew, and Luke Horobin, triplets who are among the class of 2023 at SCSU, are believed to be the program’s only trio of brothers to study in such fashion in the program’s history, according to the school.
The three brothers were also recently featured in an article published by the New Haven Register.
Podcast spotlight: See You Now
Hosted by nurse economist and health technology specialist Shawna Butler, RN, MBA, and published in collaboration with Johnson & Johnson and the American Nurses Association, the See You Now podcast “shines a light on the real people changing the status quo in healthcare.”
The podcast also highlights nurses across various specialties, including healthcare innovators, nurse allies, and those at the forefront of healthcare technology.
The podcast is available online or via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Stitcher.
Views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of Elite Learning or Colibri Group. Media referenced in this news round-up does not constitute an endorsement.
