Greetings!

Welcome to the Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing's August 2008 eNewsletter featuring articles, reference materials, useful links, calendar of events and other best practice information on the care of older adults.

This eNewsletter is sponsored by ConsultGeriRN.org, the authoritative geriatric clinical nursing website of the Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing, New York University College of Nursing and the NICHE (Nurses Improving Care for HealthSystem Elders) program, (www.nicheprogram.org). ConsultGeriRN.org contains evidence-based protocols and topics for nurses and other healthcare professionals on the care of older adults. Content is updated regularly.

Find a new, cutting edge, evidence-based guideline to assessment and management of older ICU patients on www.ConsultGeriRN.org. Balas, Casey, and Happ (2008) present a comprehensive view of the unique system-specific assessment of the older ICU patient as well as medications that cause potential harm in intensive care. Additionally, there is an evidence-based geriatric nursing protocol for the assessment and management of older adults in critical care. According to Angus et al. (2000) older adults (over age 65) utilize over half of all intensive care days and this number will increase significantly over the next decade as millions of more persons age-in. Older adults in the ICU have complex medical needs due to multiple comorbidities, multiple medications, and aging changes. This new protocol is designed to help nurses better manage these patients.

Learn more about this topic and the resources available on the assessment and care strategies associated with Critical Care.

The Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing Specialty Nursing Initiative and NICHE are proud to announce a Certification Tool Kit to guide health systems to promote gerontological nursing certification to their nurses. Gerontological Nurse Certification recognizes specialization in caring for the booming population of older adults.

Adults age 65 and older utilize 48% of the nation's total health care resources and represent approximately 38% of all admissions to hospitals (DeFrances & Hall, 2007; (Mezey, Quinlan, Fairchild, & Vezina, 2006). More than 13.2 million persons aged 65 and older in 2005 were discharged from short stay hospitals; this represents a rate of 3,596 for every 10,000 older patients which is over three times the comparable rate for patients of all ages (U.S. Administration on Aging, 2007). The aging trend will continue, with sustained and profound implications for nursing practice.

Learn more about the value of certification to nurses, nurse managers and administrators, its implication on care of older adults in healthsystems, and also on how to launch a certification initiative.

2009 12th Annual NICHE Conference - Registration Open

This Month's Topic: Fulmer SPICES
Fulmer SPICES is a framework for assessing older adults that focuses on six common 'marker conditions': sleep problems, problems with eating and feeding, incontinence, confusion, evidence of falls, and skin breakdown. These conditions provide a snapshot of a patient's overall health and the quality of care. The SPICES assessment, done regularly, can signal the need for more specific assessment and lead to the prevention and treatment of these common conditions.

Fulmer SPICES, developed by Terry Fulmer, PhD, APRN, FAAN at New York University College of Nursing, is an efficient and effective tool for obtaining the information necessary to prevent health alterations in the older adult patient. The Video for this topic demonstrates the SPICES assessment process, and describes how this framework translates across settings and can even be used after discharge to home. In addition, Dr. Fulmer provides some historical insight as to how our approach to care of older adults is moving from treating symptoms to preventing problems.
You can also read more about the topic 'Elder Mistreatment and Abuse' on ConsultGeriRN.org.

The How to Try This series is funded by the John A. Hartford Foundation to the Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing at New York University's College of Nursing in collaboration with the American Journal of Nursing (AJN). This initiative translates the evidence-based geriatric assessment tools in the Try This Assessment Series into cost-free, web-based print and video resources, for caring for older adults. This series can be viewed, downloaded, and shared without any fees. Articles may be printed and copied for educational use without copyright fees. View more information

Add a link on your site to ConsultGeriRN.org! Free banner ads and other marketing materials are now available on ConsultGeriRN.org.

If you have a geriatric-related story, topic or an event you would like featured in our newsletter, please send your request to editor@consultgerirn.org.