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NEJM article discuses older adults and mental health care
“The Underside of the Silver Tsunami — Older Adults and Mental Health Care,” in Jan. 23, 2013 New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) discusses...
A geriatric family-centered care model for hospitalized elders
This innovative model has helped reduce falls and pressure ulcers, and RN turnover rates have dropped as well.
Advanced macular degeneration increases risk of hemorrhagic stroke
Research presented at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2011 states that in people who are 55 years or older and have advanced...
Adverse drug reactions in the elderly: Can we stem the tide?
To make drug use safer in older adults, nurses must take complete medication histories, report suspected reactions to the FDA, and take a holistic view of our patients’ health status.
Age alone effective in identifying future CVD
Screening using a cut-off of 55 years detected 86% of all first cardiovascular disease (CVD) events occurring in the population every year according to...
Ambulance diversions increase mortality
A new study finds that ED diversion is associated with increased mortality.
Aortic aneurysm: Causes, clues, and treatment options
Increase your ability to recognize aortic aneurysms and provide postop care.
Assessing and managing patients with chronic subdural hematoma
Ruby Jacobs, age 84, arrives at the emergency department with a headache, which she says has gotten worse over the past week despite taking...
Atrial fib increases risk of dementia
A study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society reports that atrial fibrillation is associated with a higher risk of developing dementia and...
Being a nurse, but also a daughter or son to our aging parents
Nurses come to the profession to provide care for individuals and, in some cases, populations. It is what we do best and for most...
Blood pressure management guideline released
JAMA has published “2014 Evidence-Based Guideline for the Management of High Blood Pressure in Adults: Report From the Panel Members Appointed to the Eighth...
Call for abstracts for home care conference
The second annual International Home Care Nurses Organization Conference, Sept. 23-26 in Singapore, has released a call for abstracts. Deadline is April 1. Read...
Caring for a homeless adult with a chronic disease
For homeless people, chronic illnesses can be hard to manage. Here’s what you should know about assessing these patients and developing a practical discharge plan.
Cervical spondylosis with myelopathy: Painful and sometimes paralyzing
This progressive degenerative spine condition is commonly mistaken for
arthritis. This article covers assessment and management, including preop and postop care.
Changes on MRI predict Alzheimer disease
Cortical thinning on MRI predicts Alzheimer disease dementia within 10 years in cognitively normal adults according to a study in Neurology. Read more at...
Closing in on the cause of agitation
When an elderly patient becomes confused and agitated, a careful history of recent procedures and medications points clinicians in the right direction.
Community-acquired pneumonia: Follow the guidelines to better outcomes
Make sure your care of patients with community-acquired pneumonia is evidence-based and up-to-date.
Compared to nsNSAIDs and coxibs, opioid use in older adults with arthritis increases risk...
In older adults with arthritis, opioid use increases the risk of fractures and safety events requiring hospitalization, compared to nonselective NSAIDs (nsNSAIDs) and selective...
Depression affects arthritic knee symptoms
Depression can exacerbate the symptoms of knee arthritis in patients who have minimal or moderate radiographic severity according to a study of 660 of...
Derailing potentially deadly dehydration
When a dehydrated patient falls into a stupor and her vital signs head south, a rapid response team can help unit nurses stabilize her quickly - and avoid the semmingly inevitable.
Detecting and screening for depression in older adults
Don’t assume depression is a normal finding in elderly patients.
Differentiating diabetes complications: What’s your call?
A patient who collapsed at home arrives at the hospital with a blood glucose level off the charts, plus extreme thirst and polyuria. Think his diagnosis is cut and dried? Think again.
Dispelling pain myths
Read up on the latest evidence-based best practices in pain management.
Drug approval for breast cancer
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Tykerb (lapatinib) in combination with Femara (letrozole) to treat hormone positive and HER2-positive advanced breast cancer...
Drugs Today – August 2008
Web Exclusive! An update of drug news, including alerts, approvals, and removals, at www.AmericanNurseToday.com/journal.
Drugs Today – July 2008
An update of drug news, including alerts, approvals, and removals.
Drugs Today – June 2008
An update of drug news, including alerts, approvals, and removals.
Drugs Today – November 2008
Web Exclusive! An update of drug news, including alerts, approvals, and removals at www.AmericanNurseToday.com/journal.
Easing the anguish of Alzheimer’s disease
Alzheimer's disease afflicts not just the person who has it but everyone in that person's orbit. Learn how to help family members caring for patients with this nursing research.
Exercise reduces silent brain infarctions
Moderate to heavy physical activity is associated with a lower risk of silent brain infarctions in older adults according to a study published online...
Fall prevention kit reduces falls
A randomized trial showed that using a falls prevention toolkit decreased falls in four Boston-area hospitals. Patients older than 65 years benefited the most...
FDA approves Boostrix for older people
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the Boostrix vaccine to prevent tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis in people 65 years and older....
FDA approves expanded use of Prevnar vaccine
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the use of Prevnar 13, a pneumococcal 13-valent conjugate vaccine, in people 50 years and...
FDA approves new drug for osteoporosis
On June 1, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Prolia (denosumab), an injectable treatment for postmenopausal women with osteoporosis who are at...
FDA approves new implantable hearing device
On March 20, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first implantable device for people 18 and older with severe or profound...
FDA approves Osphena for postmenopausal women with dyspareunia
On Feb. 26, 2013, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Osphena (ospemifene) to treat women with moderate to severe dyspareunia (pain during...
Frailty syndrome: A weakly addressed problem
Fran Covington, age 82, has a history of cardiovascular disease, chronic diastolic heart failure, type 2 diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). She lives at home with her husband and...
Geriatric assessment: Essential skills for nurses
How to assess the integumentary and musculoskeletal systems, head, neck, face, and functional status
Getting the message out: Older adults need oral care
Despite its link to overall health, older adults often do not get the proper oral health care they need.
“Affordable, accessible preventive care, including oral...
Guidelines for abdominal aortic aneurysm screening released
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has released recommendations on screening for abdominal aortic aneurysm. One of the recommendations is one-time screening by ultrasonography...
Guiding your patients through menopause
The more you know about menopause, the more you can help patients understand and cope with symptoms.
Halting heparin-induced thrombocytopenia
This rare and sometimes hard-to-detect condition can jeopardize your patient's life and limb.
Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing releases first iPad app
On Feb. 5, 2013, the New York University College of Nursing’s (NYUCN) Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing (HIGN) announced the release of ConsultGeriRN, an...
Healing the wounds: Quantum nursing V
Quantum nursing demands that nurses honor each person’s
humanity, promote independence and autonomy, and offer the
opportunity for individuals to redefine for themselves who they are and how they choose to live.
High erythropoietin levels in people 85 or older associated with higher mortality risk
A study in the Canadian Medical Association Journal reports that among people aged 85 or older, elevated erythropoietin levels were associated with an increased...
How dolls can help patients with dementia
Dolls can work wonders on geriatric dementia patients.
How electronic health records are improving health care for elderly patients
Innovative information technology tools help ensure patients get the right care at the right time.
How to prevent falls among older adults in outpatient settings
The author provides tips for preventing falls.
Identifying complete heart block in elderly patients
How to use auscultation to distiguish sinus bradycardia from complete heart block in geriatric patients.
Improving posthospital medication management for chronically ill older adults
For chronically ill older adults who take multiple medications, a hospital stay can result in various medication-related changes.
Nurses administer their medications to them.
Their medication...
Keys, please
Discusses the problem of when it’s unsafe for an older person to drive.
Letters to the Editor – October 2008
Novice nurses: Leading the way against nurse abuse
In the informative and timely article “No more nurse abuse” (July), John Murray points out that novice...
Longevity genes interconnected
An international group of scientists performed a comprehensive analysis and found that most genes that increase lifespan when overexpressed or mutated, as well as...
Managing chronic pain in the elderly
Chronic pain has widespread effects on older adults. This article describes how to help patients manage it.
Managing delirium in hospitalized older adults
Lawrence Jeffries, age 78, is admitted to the hospital for an arthroplasty of the left hip. A retired roofer, he lives with his wife...
Managing dysphagia in elderly patients
Multiple factors make the elderly susceptible to dysphagia. The author reviews
multidisciplinary management approaches and offers a checklist of simple nursing actions to promote assessment and management.
Managing knee osteoarthritis in older adults
A degenerative joint disease, osteoarthritis (OA) is marked by cartilage erosion, osteophyte formation, joint hypertrophy, and subchondral sclerosis. A leading cause of disability in...
Maternal and paternal age associated with autism, study states
A study in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders reports that maternal and paternal ages are jointly associated with autism. Read more.
NEJM: Public views on Medicare and the budget deficit
The July 13 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine includes an insightful review of public polling on Medicare and how public opinion...
New falls prevention guidelines released
The American Geriatrics Society and British Geriatrics Society have released “Clinical Practice Guideline for Prevention of Falls in Older Persons.” Access the guidelines at...
New guidelines for dementia and driving
Researchers have developed a new clinical pathway that provides guidance for healthcare providers to help dementia patients who drive. The pathway was presented at...
New High-Dose Influenza Vaccine for Seniors
A news release from Sanofi Pasteur includes information on the first shipment of a new high-dose influenza vaccine for adults ages 65 years of...
New report says more than 13% of Medicare patients experience adverse events during hospital...
A new report from the Department of Health and Human Services says an estimated 13.5% of Medicare patients experience adverse events during their hospital...
New report: Nearly 1 in 5 older adults have one or more mental health...
At least 5.6 million to 8 million – nearly one in five – older adults in America have one or more mental health and...
New resource for pain management in the elderly
Visit a new one-stop resource for managing pain in the elderly at www.geriatricpain.org. Sections of the site include pain assessment, pain management, education, quality...
New survey on family caregivers released
The AARP Public Policy Institute and the United Hospital Fund have released the report “Home Alone: Family Caregivers Providing Complex Chronic Care,” a survey...
Nitroglycerin ointment slightly increases bone mineral density in postmenopausal women
Nitroglycerin ointment applied at bedtime for 2 years slightly increased bone mineral density in postmenopausal women states a study in JAMA. Read more at...
No evidence for Alzheimer’s prevention methods says new report
A new evidence report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality says there is no evidence for that many current strategies for preventing...
Normal-pressure hydrocephalus: The “wet, wobbly, and wacky” triad
An often-missed diagnosis, this condition may mimic certain types of dementia.
Nursing research takes aim at chronic pain
The National Institute of Nursing Research is studying ways to promote better outcomes for patients with chronic pain.
Older adults often closed out of clinical trials
More than half of clinical trials exclude older adults according to a study in the Journal of General Internal Medicine. Read more here.
Optimism protects older adults from stroke
Dispositional optimism protects older adults from stroke according to a study in Stroke. Read more.
Osteoporosis-not just for women
Most elderly men don't know they are at risk for osteoporosis-and they probably won't find out until a nurse tells them.
Paget’s disease: A therapy update
Pain, arthritis, fractures, and skeletal deformities are calling cards of Paget's disease. A new one-dose drug therapy can produce extended remission.
Patient satisfaction now factors into Medicare reimbursement
Starting Oct. 1, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services began withholding hospital’s Medicare reimbursement based on their quality performance; 30% of the decision...
Physical activity, especially during teen years, lower impaired cognition in women
The study “Physical Activity Over the Life Course and Its Association with Cognitive Performance and Impairment in Old Age” found that women who were...
Piquing new nurses’ interest in gerontologic nursing
It’s no surprise to nurses who choose to work with older adults that many of their current or future colleagues would rather focus on...
Preventing polypharmacy in older adults
Polypharmacy refers to the effects of taking multiple medications concurrently to manage coexisting health problems, such as diabetes and hypertension. Too often, polypharmacy becomes...
Promoting nonhazardous alcohol use by older adults
Roughly half of adults ages 65 and older drink alcohol. Although experts continue to debate the possible health benefits of alcohol when consumed in minimal daily amounts, alcohol’s health risks in adults too often are overlooked by both family members and healthcare professionals.
Prostate biopsies can increase risk of hospitalization
Men 65 years or older are more likely to be hospitalized within 30 days after a prostate biopsy than men of the same age...
Refining stool consistency descriptors can help prevent adverse outcomes
Stool consistency and form are significant aspects of a GI assessment, providing valuable information about the patient’s bowel motility. Properly identifying and describing these...
Restraints, patient rights, and the confused patient
Author Leah Curtin analyzes the ethics of a case of confusion and restraints.
Same-day discharge for low-risk PCI patients not associated with increased rehospitalization
A JAMA study reports that in low-risk Medicare patients who undergo elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), same-day discharge is “not associated with death or...
Senior care: Are we prepared for the impending healthcare crisis?
Ready or not, we're on the brink of a senior healthcare crisis.
Setting your sights on aging eyes
Half of Americans older than 65 have some degree of age-related cataract formation, making cataracts the leading cause of vision impairment in the United...
Six more hot drugs for today and beyond
These six drug profiles, along with the six in the March issue of American Nurse Today, bring you up to date on significant advances in drug therapy.
Social Security improvements results in longer life spans
A study published in the Journal of Public Health Policy found that Americans over the age of 65 experienced steep declines in the rate...
Stop the silence of elder abuse
Learn how to identify elder abuse and what to do if you suspect abuse.
Stopping the silent progression of osteoporosis
Osteoporosis and low bone mass affect about 44 million Americans. Women account for 80% of that number. And each year, more than 1.5 million Americans suffer osteoporotic fractures.
Stopping the silent progression of osteoporosis
An update on risk factors, prevention, and treatment.
Study: Older adults with hearing loss have more hospitalizations, poorer health
According to a study published by JAMA, older adults with hearing loss are more likely than peers with normal hearing to require hospitalization and...
Study: Acute care elders unit shortens hospital stay, maintains patients’ functional abilities
June’s Health Affairs includes a study of an Acute Care for Elders Unit, which found that length of stay was significantly shorter, inpatient costs...
Study: Antihypertensives decrease risk of Alzheimer disease
Diuretics, angiotensin-1 receptor blockers, and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors seemed to reduce the risk of Alzheimer disease (AD), according to a study, published in Neurology,...
Study: Cocoa improves cognitive function in older adults
One month of drinking two cups of hot chocolate a day improved neurovascular coupling and cognitive function, according to a double-blind clinical trial of...
Study: Functional problems common in ED elderly
Functional problems affect most older patients who go to the ED, according to “Profiles of Older Patients in the Emergency Department: Findings From the...
Study: Grandmothers raising grandchildren struggle with depression
Grandmothers who care for their grandchildren fulltime need help for depression and family strains, according to researchers from the Case Western Reserve University’s Frances...
Study: Handshake can indicate speed of aging
Handgrip strength corresponds to other markers of aging such as people’s future mortality, disability, cognitive decline and ability to recover from hospital, according to...
Study: Head trauma associated with Alzheimer disease changes
A study published in Neurology has found that among patients with mild cognitive impairment, self-reported head trauma with at least momentary loss of consciousness...
Study: Incidence of mental disorders in mid-life, older adulthood may be underestimated
A study published in JAMA Psychiatry has found that common methods of assessing mental or physical disorders may consistently underestimate the prevalence of mental...
Study: Low vitamin B12 increases fracture risk in older men
A study published in Osteoporosis International reports that older men who have low levels of vitamin B12 have a higher risk of fractures. Read...
Study: Older adults with TBI admitted on weekends have higher mortality
Older adults (mean age 78 years) with traumatic brain injury (TBI) who are admitted to the hospital on weekends have 14% greater odds of...
Study: Positive self-esteem protects older adults from health problems
According to a study in Psychoneuroendocrinology, a positive self-esteem can buffer adults older than 60 years against health threats. Researchers found that if an...
Study: Sedentary behavior associated with disability
A study in the Journal of Physical Activity & Health reports that sedentary behavior in adults aged 60 years and older is a risk...
Study: SNFs have high readmission rates of Medicare patients
A high percentage of Medicare patients who are discharged from skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) will return to the hospital or the ED within 30...
Study: Vitamin E may slow decline from Alzheimer disease
“Effect of Vitamin E and memantine on functional decline in Alzheimer disease,” a study published in JAMA, reports that 2,000 units of vitamin E,...
Take Note – August 2007
Good news for younger women taking estrogen
Estrogen therapy may have cardioprotective effects for women who start taking it in their 50s. A study from...
Take Note – June 2007
A monthly round up of clinical, practice, and career news, updates, and alerts.
Take Note – November 2006
American Diabetes Association releases food guidelines for specific medical categories
“When you’re talking about diabetes, there is no ‘one size fits all’ diet,” said Ann...
The aging face of HIV/AIDS
People older than age 50 account for at least 10% of HIV/AIDS cases in this country. Yet myths about older adults' behavior can blind us to the possibility that an older patient has AIDS. We need to learn more about older adults' sexuality and teach them about risky behaviors.
Treatment consistent with POLST orders in nursing facilities
Overall, Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) were consistent with treatment provided to 870 nursing facility residents aged 65 and older, making it a...
Update on Medicare Part D prescription drug program
Medicare's prescription drug program recuperates from its rocky debut; ANA endorses the Medicare Quality Enhancement Act.
When to refer patients for hospice care
What happens to patients once they reach the maximum benefit of traditional curative treatment? For many, hospice should be considered. A point on the...
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