Lenore K. Resick

Undergraduate students as standardized patients to assess advanced practice nursing student competencies.

Evaluating clinical skills of students in an online distance education program can be challenging because of the diverse location of students. The authors describe a unique and cost-efficient method of using standardized patients to evaluate these skills. The project involved undergraduate students representing standardized patients for graduate advanced practice nurse students.

The meaning of health among mid-Appalachian women within the context of the environment

As a first step toward researching health related to natural gas drilling, a qualitative approach was chosen to capture valuable insights into the emic view and to identify variables which may otherwise be overlooked or not considered when planning empirical studies. This phenomenological study sought to understand the meaning of health among women living in mid-Appalachia within the context of the environment. Women were interviewed using purposive sampling until no new information was gleaned from the data. Analysis of the data revealed an overarching theme of a sense of powerlessness over changes in the environment experienced by women living closest to the industrial sites. This perceived sense of powerlessness influenced the womens experience of health and affected their immediate living space. As extraction industries such as natural gas drilling increase their operations locally, regionally, and globally, environmental scientists and health care providers need to be aware of the potential health concerns among residents living near industrial sites

The meaning of health among midlife Russian-speaking women.

PURPOSE To explore the meaning of health among midlife Russian-speaking women from the former Soviet Union. DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY A hermeneutic phenomenological design was used. Study participants included 12 Russian-speaking women ages 40-61, who also spoke English and had migrated to the United States after 1991. FINDINGS These themes were identified: health as being highly valued, though less of a priority during immigration; being a stranger and seeking the familiar; grieving and loss and building a new life; experiencing changes and transitions; trusting self; and the importance of hope. CONCLUSIONS Although health was less of a priority during the immigration process, the women valued and were knowledgeable about health, participated in self-care practices, trusted their own abilities to make self-care decisions, and sought health-related information. This is a vulnerable population at risk for the onset of chronic medical conditions associated with the process of aging, past exposures, the tendency to avoid health screening, and current stressors related to immigration and family responsibilities. Implications include the need for interventions to build trust, assess self-care practices, and understand values and beliefs concerning health screening. Future research recommendations include replication with other samples within this population and exploring curative beliefs and practices more fully. Ultimately, this study design could be applied to other immigrant populations in Western cultures. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Midlife Russian speaking women from the former Soviet Union are a vulnerable group at risk for the onset of chronic medical conditions associated with aging, past exposures, the tendency to avoid health screening, and current stressors related to immigration and family responsibilities.

Challenges in Measuring Outcomes in Two Community-Based Nurse-Managed Wellness Clinics: The Development of a Chart Auditing Tool

Since the inception of the first nurse-managed wellness clinic (NMWC) in 1994 by the school of nursing faculty, the NMWCs have served the older residents of 2 high-rise apartment buildings. In addition, students have experienced the challenges of application of theory to practice. One such challenge is measuring outcomes. This paper describes both the process and outcome of developing a chart audit tool that was adapted from the Omaha System and Focus Charting®. The author hopes that a dialogue of common concerns and challenges will be initiated and creative solutions will be generated.

A Retrospective Data Analysis of Two Academic Nurse-Managed Wellness Center Sites

The purpose of this study was to describe the trends, themes, and outcomes of interventions over time within and between two academic nurse-managed wellness center (NMWC) sites. Documentation of wellness interventions and outcomes of these interventions presented ongoing challenges. The Omaha System was used as a documentation system to capture both interventions and client outcomes. A retrospective chart analysis revealed that the most commonly reported problems were circulation and nutrition. Interventions focused on teaching, guidance, and counseling; subsequently, the outcomes of knowledge, behavior, and status increased modestly with time for the older adult clients who attended these NMWC sites.

The Nurse-Managed Wellness Clinic Model Developed by Duquesne University School of Nursing

The residents of senior-focused housing typify the phenomenon of aging-in-place. Older people are living longer than expected with a subsequent increase in health problems. However, with accessible health promotion and wellness services, these individuals are able to live independently for a longer period of time. This article will describe the background and implementation of the nurse-managed wellness clinic model developed by the faculty of the Duquesne University School of Nursing.

The Retired Nurses Working in Neighborhoods (RN+WIN) Program: An Approach Toward Sustainability of an Academic Nurse—Managed Wellness Center

Obtaining resources for sustainability of academic nursing centers is an ongoing challenge. Academic wellness centers face challenges related to the limited availability of insurance to meet demand and resources for state and local contracts or fee for service. Traditionally, state and local contracts and fee-for-service insurance plans do not cover preventive or wellness-related health services. In addition, third party reimbursement for wellness, disease prevention and health promotion, and health education services may be limited because of Current Procedural Terminology codes. An approach toward sustainability of the Duquesne University School of Nursing Nurse-Managed Wellness Center was to build on the human resources of volunteer retired nurses residing in the neighboring communities of the university.This article describes the RN+WIN program as a creative approach toward sustainability of an academic nurse—managed wellness center.

The Alternatives for Wellness Centers: Drown in Data or Develop a Reasonable Electronic Documentation System

Measuring and quantifying the outcomes of care are becoming essential activities for the ongoing operation of nurse-managed health centers. Centers need a data collection system to collect meaningful data that assist with the development of programs and services, measure clinical outcomes, and promote health policy. Accomplishing these objectives is especially difficult in a health and wellness setting designed for an aging population. When tracking the care process over time, it is possible to drown in the data, especially qualitative data. This article describes the experiences of advanced practice nurses as they explored alternatives and devised a system to collect and manage qualitative and quantitative data using the Omaha System in a health and wellness setting for older adults. To be successful, nurse managed health centers and all providers must systematically evaluate their data and information needs as well as available systems and then implement an action plan.

A Collaborative Teaching and Learning Experience in Moscow

Russian nurse leaders are reaching out to the international nursing community for ways to modernize Russian nursing practice. As a part of this process, United States nurses are being invited to participate in collaborative relationships with Russian nursing educators. The identified collaborative process needs to be culturally sensitive to meet the needs of the inviting nurses. Nursing collaboration involves the mutual sharing of knowledge about nursing related issues concerning health and health care systems with other nurses. International nursing collaboration is complex because sharing takes place in a multi-cultural context. The purpose of this article is to describe how the process of international nursing collaboration evolved among members of three educational institutions and one professional nursing organization. The evolution of the international team’s collaborative experience is discussed including the initial preparation, the actual implementation, and evaluation. This article concludes with recommendations for future international nursing collaborative projects.

Developing curriculum recommendations for environmental health in nursing.

In 2010, the American Nurses Association (ANA) added an environmental health standard to the ANA Scope and Standards of Practice requiring that nurses implement environmental health strategies in nursing practice. To prepare nurse educators to integrate environmental health at all educational levels, nursing faculty members from the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments developed environmental health competencies and curricular recommendations that address this need. Internet URLs are included for environmental health curricula for each level of nursing education.