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 has provided her with clear examples of ageism. “I did a study where I looked at conversations between physicians and …
“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 program. “It’s very fulfilling work,” she says. “I’ve never worked anywhere other than long-term care. I was that 15-year-old nursing …
“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, and I’m just checking in with you today,” she says as she kneels before Esther’s wheelchair so Esther (not her …
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 hospitals, particularly for older adult patients,” says Barb King, PhD, RN, an assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison School …
“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. Kathryn was excited to participate in a one-day conference for direct care staff at Southwest Technical College in Fennimore, organized …
“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. While an undergraduate student, Gilmore-Bykovskyi worked as a CNA in a nursing home. “To this day, that probably was my …
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 an ER or an ICU nurse,” says Lawrence, who received his BSN from the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Nursing …
“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 School of Medicine. “It’s really a lot, but when it comes to dementia, it’s essential. It’s what every one of …
“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 and other challenging symptoms towards the end of life. Even slight improvements in their quality of life can mean a …
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 people living in nursing homes or other residential care facilities, or using home care services is expected to nearly double, …