The cover of the recent special supplement to The Gerontologist devoted to the National Hartford Center of Gerontological Nursing Excellence (NHCGNE) catches my eye. Take a look. The 18 nurses who grace the cover share the distinction of having been honored with the Doris Schwartz Gerontological Nursing Research Award.
This award, presented by the Gerontological Society of America’s (GSA) Health Sciences Section, is given to a GSA member in recognition of outstanding and sustained contribution to gerontological nursing research.
The special supplement—supported by NHCGNE, which is housed at GSA—traces the evolution of the pioneering work of these outstanding nurse leaders and others at NHCGNE over the years and features 16 articles authored by JAHF-supported nurse leaders spotlighting research in a variety of areas, ranging from in-home fall risk assessments to teaching nursing students to care for older adults.
The issue, entitled “Transformations in Nursing Care of Older Adults: Experiences of the National Hartford Center of Gerontological Nursing Excellence,” was edited by Rachel Pruchno, PhD, and leaders of the National Hartford Center: J Taylor Harden, PhD, RN (Executive Director), Ginette Pepper, PhD, RN (President) and Barbara Resnick, PhD, CRNP (Member of Board of Directors). It was my honor and privilege to co–author the lead article on the organization’s history with Dr. Harden.
We thought it would be interesting to ask a few of the inspiring Doris Schwartz awardees (and cover girls) to share their reflections on this special issue. If you would like to join the ranks of these prestigious nurse leaders, make certain to read to the end of this post (we’ve got you covered).
Tell us about the evolution of the John A. Hartford Foundation’s nursing initiative and how has it contributed to the field, as evidenced in the special issue of The Gerontologist?
Mathy Mezey, PhD, RN:
The JAHF nursing initiative has been transformative to improving nursing education, practice, and research as it impacts the health of older adults. We now have strong assurances that nurses receive evidence-based geriatric content and clinical experiences in their educational programs, that there are beacons of excellent clinical models of nursing care, and that there is a pipeline of nurse researchers focused on geriatric care. JAHF nursing initiatives are also strongly positioned for a future focus on inter- and intra- disciplinary education and practice.
As a nurse researcher, how would you describe the work featured in this special issue?
Neville Strumpf, PhD, RN:
As a veteran of the 2000 Building Academic Geriatric Nursing Capacity Initiative (the forerunner to the National Center), the journey and the strides since are astonishing—with 300 nursing leaders under the umbrella of the National Hartford Center. This extraordinary supplement to The Gerontologist is testimony to the sophistication of the science, embracing a substantive focus on person-centered and environmentally sensitive care, but attuned to the future of computer-driven activities, automation, the electronic health record, and virtual reality. Most impressive is vivid evidence in the authorship of mentorship, collaboration, and assurance that we have a next generation of scholars dedicated to making the later years better for all of us. A joy to read.
Having read the special issue, what are your hopes for nurses featured in The Gerontologist and the care for older Americans?
Terry Fulmer, PhD, RN:
This special issue of The Gerontologist represents the best thinking of our country’s leading gerontological nurse experts who have dedicated their careers to improving care of older adults. I am impressed and gratified with all we have been able to accomplish and so much of our progress is directly attributable to the support of the John A. Hartford Foundation. The convening function and creative strategies used by the Foundation to accelerate the pace of our research and practice improvements are so exciting. In this supplement, I know all of us would agree we have come a long way in our understanding and appreciation of quality care for older adults.
We at the John A. Hartford Foundation are indebted to the nurse leaders who have transformed the Building Academic Geriatric Nursing Capacity Initiative and scholar and fellow program we began in 2000 into the enterprising work of the National Hartford Center of Gerontological Nursing Excellence. NHCGNE is now a specialty organization with 49 member institutions dedicated to optimal health and quality of life for older adults. These leaders include Claire Fagin, PhD, RN; Patricia Archbold, DScN; and currently J Taylor Harden, PhD, RN.
We also know that good leaders are not born, they are groomed. This message was clear in our 2008 John A. Hartford Foundation annual report, A Call For Leadership in Aging, which detailed four strategies for growing leaders: Formal Training, Mentoring, Peer Networking, and Answering the Call.
The National Hartford Center combines all of these elements into one package to grow leaders: The NHCGNE Leadership Conference.
This year’s Nursing Leadership Conference will be held Nov. 17-18, 2015 at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin in Orlando, FL.
The 2015 conference aims to:
• Assist attendees in orchestrating full academic careers;
• Facilitate the skills development necessary to build excellence and leadership in gerontological nursing;
• Support the development of a national network of nurse leaders/researchers; and
• Link gerontological nursing research to practice and policy changes.
If you aspire to grace the cover of a prestigious gerontological publication, author a thought-provoking piece inside, win a Doris Schwartz award, or change the way care is delivered to our aging society, register now!
Congrats to all on this special issue. And I hope to see some of you on the cover of a future issue.
Elma Hajric and Tali Benson contributed to this post.