Greetings!

Welcome to the Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing's September 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.

Maintaining adequate fluid balance is an essential component of health across the life span; older adults are more vulnerable to shifts in water balance, both over-hydration and dehydration, because of age-related changes and increased likelihood that they have several medical conditions. Dehydration is the more frequently occurring problem.

To learn more about this topic and the resources available on the assessment and care strategies associated with Hydration Management visit ConsultGeriRN.org.

Executive Director: Sue Koob, MPA
President: Lynne T. Braun, PhD, RN, CNP
Geriatric Committee Chair: Jerilyn K. Allen, RN, ScD, FAAN
Geriatric Committee Member: Kathy Berra, MSN, ANP-BC
Web Fellow: Lola A. Coke, PhD, APRN-BC, CNS
Website: www.pcna.net

The Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association (PCNA) is the leading nursing organization dedicated to preventing cardiovascular disease (CVD) through assessing risk, facilitating lifestyle changes, and guiding individuals to achieve treatment goals. PCNA recognizes the unique needs of the geriatric patient and is committed to working with other nursing organizations and the Hartford institute to raise awareness about the importance of providing specialized care to the geriatric patient. PCNA has been awarded a grant by the Hartford Institute to collaborate on the REASN initiative.

Over the past five years, our involvement working with the Nurse Competence in Aging initiative, and now with the Resourcefully Enhancing Aging in Specialty Nursing (REASN) initiative, has had a significant impact on our association's culture and the content of our professional education and tools. Our first priority was to designate an official geriatric committee and a geriatric web liaison. The committee reports directly to the PCNA Board of Directors and helps to ensure that aging issues are incorporated in our educational initiatives. The geriatric committee chair brought forth a unique opportunity for PCNA to co-host the successful Summit on Maximizing Functional Capacity in Older Cardiovascular Patients with the Society of Geriatric Cardiology this past June. Our web liaison, along with the Hartford Institute, assisted in developing a special section of the PCNA website dedicated to geriatric clinical updates and resources. Additionally, information on caring for older adults was included in several PCNA publications, our national meeting, and in our official journal, The Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing.

Our future goals are to build on our accomplishments and to move to a new, higher level of engagement in geriatric cardiovascular care. We are proud to announce that in 2008, we will launch a new section of our Medical Forms Online, which will provide information on behavior change and adherence with a special focus on older adults. Our 15th Annual National Symposium and regional chapter programs continue to feature a lifespan approach including geriatric content. We will be enhancing and expanding PCNA.net and working with the Hartford Institute in developing a specialty infused "Try This" issue on the assessment of cardiac and vascular disease in older adults. Finally, geriatric-specific information will be continually included in our educational publications, online programs and all that we do in promoting nurses as leaders in CVD prevention.

To learn more about the REASN initiative, visit ConsultGeriRN.org

2009 12th Annual NICHE Conference
Early Bird Registration Discount Available till Sept. 26^th

This Month's Topic: Assessment of Sexual Health in Older Adults
Sexuality is a continuing human concern, regardless of a person's age. Even as normal and pathologic changes affect their sexual health, older adults have an ongoing interest in sexual activity, which holds many benefits for them. Nurses have a role in assessing sexual health and in developing plans for managing sexual problems.

For additional information on this topic, visit ConsultGeriRN.org and review the geriatric topic "Sexuality Issues in Aging".

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

Mathy Mezey, EdD, RN, FAAN
Professor and Director
Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing
New York University College of Nursing

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has just come out with a recommendation that men age 75 years or older not be screened for prostate cancer because the benefits of treatment for prostate cancer detected by screening are small to none (Annals of Internal Medicine 2008; 149:185-191). Part of the rationale for this recommendation is that men over 75 who have prostate cancer are more likely to die from other causes.

We have some feelings about this. Clearly there are risks from screening, including false positives. But rather than a "blanket" recommendation, it is important to consider individual factors when making a decision about screening. For men 75 years of age or older who are in good health and are likely to live into their 90s, prostate cancer may very well be the disease that threatens their life. The incidence of prostate cancer at age 80 is 60%. These men might benefit from screening. Men also may find it less traumatic to undergo treatment of an early prostate cancer when they are in their 70s rather than when they are in their 80s. And finally, if we believe that people should participate in health care decisions, then nurses and doctors need to assure access to information along with explanations and time for discussion so that men (and their families) can make informed choices about screening.