The delivery of nursing care is enmeshed in the health care policy decisions made at state and national levels. The authors recommend an advanced practice role for nurse policy analysts, examine political decision-making processes that would be included in the curriculum, and give illustrative positions that graduate nurse policy analysts might…

Examination of hospitalizations for 5,854 elderly adults for 1980, 1985, and 1987 revealed significant increases in 60-day mortality and nursing home transfers after Medicare's Prospective Payment System began and hospital stays were shortened. Increases were largely explained by differences in risk factors other than length of stay (age, gender,…

Conducted interviews with 332 intellectually intact residents in 54 nursing homes to study their patterns of interpersonal relationships with staff, other residents, and family and friends outside the home. Results indicated importance of having a close friend for residents' participation in activities, life satisfaction, and nursing home…

Bureau of Labor Statistics' data show that the incidence rate of 15 workplace injuries and illnesses per 100 full-time nursing home workers is well above that for private industry as a whole. Back injuries are most frequently reported. Short tenure and high turnover are correlated with health and safety problems. (SK)

Examined the perceptions and social interactions of patients (n=20) and staff after introducing a resident dog to a nursing home. Results showed a significant increase of interactive behaviors for both staff and residents after 6 weeks. After 22 weeks, behavior for residents had reverted to base-line levels. (Author/BHK)

Discusses ways for nurses to apply their skills and experience to nontraditional career options. Describes and defines fields utilizing talents unique to nursing. Provides reasons a career changing nurse would flourish in each field. (BHK)

Discusses the educational needs of nurse administrators in developing counties and in areas of lesser development in the United States and compares them to the typical education received in nursing administration programs. Concludes that a focus on development management is needed. (JOW)

The University of Minnesota's experience with integrating ethics into its baccalaureate nursing curriculum is offered as an illustration of the feasibility of incorporating additional content into an already tightly packed professional curriculum. The program embeds ethics units into existing courses and facilitates their critical evaluation and…

Used ethnographic data to examine personal and work worlds of nurse's aides. Concludes that, because nursing home's institutional culture often adds to adversity of their personal life, nurse's aides move between the two milieus in self-perpetuating negative cycle, carrying to bedside of elderly residents the affective and psychological burden…

Studied prior planning for and problems associated with evacuation of 1,860 nursing home patients in Pinellas County, Florida, due to Hurricane Elena in 1985 through questionnaires administered to nursing home administrators and public documents. Found most serious problems to be transporting patients to shelters in timely fashion, delayed passage…

A concept analysis approach for didactic nursing instruction, currently being used for organizing and synthesizing pathophysiological data in literature, is presented and illustrated with excerpts from the concept "inflammation." Advantages and disadvantages for its use identified by graduate students are also included. (Author/MSE)

International nursing research is essential to an understanding of the nature, constraints, and resources related to the pressing needs facing nursing worldwide. The collaboration of researchers could empower nurses to make a difference in health and health care to those who need it most. (Author/JOW)

Used medico-social analytic model to compare five long-term care programs: Skilled Nursing Facility-Intermediate Care Facility (SNF-ICF) homes, ICF homes, foster homes, day hospitals, and home care. Identified similarities and differences among programs. Preliminary findings suggest that model is useful in the evaluation and design of long-term…

A survey of 72 graduate programs in nursing revealed that health policy is not a substantive area of study in graduate curricula, yet program directors feel that health policy content is very important. The University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing has developed a specific doctoral-level course addressing nursing leadership and public policy. (CH)

A study of the level of anxiety in registered nurses seeking a higher academic degree revealed a relationship between anxiety and certain demographic variables. Nurse students who are in financial hardship, are unmarried, or who come from associate programs benefit from anxiety reduction or support sessions. (JD)