Greetings!

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

We would like to hear from you!

ConsultGeriRN.org, the clinical nursing website of the Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing at NYU's College of Nursing, was selected as a Bronze Award winner of the Spring/Summer 2008 World Wide Web Health Awards. The award was given in the category of online health promotion/disease & injury prevention information.

ConsultGeriRN.org is an online resource for nurses who wish to learn more about geriatric syndromes, their possible causes and treatments, and to translate that knowledge for the immediate benefit of their patients. Nurses can search the site by patient signs and symptoms, specific geriatric topics and evidence-based protocols or nursing specialty areas. Other resources include information on hospital competencies, gerontological certification and continuing education. Content from ConsultGeriRN.org has been given this honor in 2005 and 2006, in the same category.

The World Wide Web Health Awards is organized by the Health Information Resource Center (HIRC), a national clearinghouse for consumer health information programs and materials. It recognizes the best Web-based health-related content for consumers and professionals. The program is held twice a year, with the goal of providing a "seal of quality" for electronic health information. Website were judged by a panel of international health information and internet experts and were examined for accuracy, success in reaching the targeted audience and overall quality. Websites are reviewed during a five to six week period.

UI affects approximately 17 million Americans. More than 35% of older adults admitted to the hospital develop UI. In addition to medications, constipation/fecal impaction, low fluid intake, environmental barriers, diabetes mellitus, and stroke, immobility, impaired cognition, malnutrition, and depression are factors specific to identifying older adults at risk for UI in the hospital setting. Complications of UI include falls, skin irritation leading to pressure ulcers, social isolation, and depression. Nurses play a key role in the assessment and management of Urinary Incontinence.

Learn more about "Urinary Incontinence," with references and resources by visiting ConsultGeriRN.org.

 

NICHE Web Based Learning Series Presents: Linking Quality and Cost

The Hospital Admission Risk Profile
Carla L. Graf, MS, RN, CNS-BC

Older adults are at risk for losing functional ability during and after a hospitalization. It's often difficult to determine which patients are at highest risk and which might benefit from targeted interventions. The Hospital Admission Risk Profile, a simple screening tool, can be used to classify hospitalized older adults as being at low, intermediate, or high risk for losing the ability to perform activities of daily living, based on assessments of age, cognitive function, and the ability to perform independent activities of daily living. It's one of many tools profiled in Try This®: Best Practices in Nursing Care to Older Adults, a series provided by the Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing at New York University's College of Nursing.

In order to prevent long-term institutionalization of an older adult at risk for significant functional decline secondary to pneumonia and hospitalization, an interdisciplinary team crafts a plan to address her risk factors and bring a wide range of resources to prevent further decline and to maximize her chance of returning home. The care plan is organized around results of the HARP assessment done at admission. To learn more about this topic view the article and videos available online.

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

Among conditions termed "reasonably preventable" and for which Medicare will no longer reimburse hospitals are 3 conditions of particular risk for older patient: falls, catheter-associated urinary track infections, and hospital acquired Stage 3 and 4 pressure ulcers (NY Times, October 1, 2008). These new Medicare regulations are an opportunity for nurses to put into place measures that that have been shown to improve outcomes by preventing falls, UTI's secondary to catheter use, and the emergence of pressure ulcers. Assessment instruments and evidence-based protocols specifically aimed at avoiding these outcomes in older adults are available on www.ConsultGeriRN.

The Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing has recently launched its redesigned website, www.ConsultGeriRN.org as a portal to geriatric resources at the Institute and other nationally recognized clinical resources. Resources available include hospital competencies, links to online geriatric resources, the Hartford Institute certification review course, and the Geriatrics and the Advance Practice Curriculum web based course. Users can also view content and resources on the site by going to the "Who are You?" section, which lists recommended resources by users roles, such as practicing nurse, policy maker or nursing faculty or administrator.
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