University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Nursing Assistant Professor Kristen Pecanac, PhD, RN studies interactions among healthcare practitioners, patients, and family members as they make treatment decisions in hospital settings. She says the peer review process …
quality of care
Ombudsman Advocacy and Nurse Leadership in Long-Term Care
“An ombudsman is the voice of the people—that’s the literal translation of the word,” Kim Marheine tells some 150 undergraduate students at the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Nursing. Marheine oversees Wisconsin’s long-term care ombudsman …
A Day in the Life of a Geriatric Nurse Practitioner
“How are you feeling today, Esther?” asks Sarah Endicott, DNP, APNP, GNP-BC. Endicott is starting her rounds at the rural skilled nursing facility where she sees patients once a week. “I’m Sarah, the nurse practitioner, …
A MOVIN Story About Hospital Care and Older Adult Independence
In complex situations, new policies can have unpredictable effects. For example, some hospital safety measures can make older adults more likely to fall. “Falls are increasingly being used to judge quality of care in our …
Bringing Direct Care Staff Education Where It’s Needed Most: Rural Wisconsin
“I am always looking for affordable educational opportunities, but don’t find many that are close enough to attend,” said Kathryn Nachreiner, who has managed a residential care home in Plain, Sauk County, for 14 years. …
Evidence-Based Practice Corner: Pain and Symptom Management in Dementia Care
“I’ve had the opportunity to see dementia care from different perspectives and in different settings,” says Andrea Gilmore-Bykovskyi, PhD, RN, an alumna of and incoming assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Nursing. …
Nursing Where Everyday Life Happens: Home Health
Considering his passion for home health care, it’s surprising that it wasn’t Troy Lawrence’s initial career plan. “Looking back at my undergrad experiences, I was in that group of people who were determined to be …
Creating Dementia-Friendly Health Care Organizations
“What is person-centered care?” asked Teepa Snow, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA, an occupational therapist and nationally renowned dementia care educator with clinical appointments at Duke University’s School of Nursing and the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill’s …
Evidence-Based Practice Corner: Easing Pain without Medications
“Everything is intensified when cure isn’t possible,” explains University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Nursing Professor Kris Kwekkeboom, PhD, RN. “Even small changes are important.” That understanding drives Kwekkeboom’s research into non-drug interventions to ease pain …
Introducing Nursing Students to Long-Term Care
As the U.S. population ages, the demand grows for long-term care. An estimated two-thirds of those who reach age 65 will eventually need long-term care, for short stays or ongoing assistance. Collectively, the number of …