Faculty

As the aging population grows, emergency department (ED) service utilization among those 65 years and older is expected to rise. In 2017, it was estimated that approximately 49 million Americans were 65 years and older. Not surprisingly, the number of ED visits by older adults is also increasing, given that this population is more likely to have multiple comorbidities. Emergency department visits by older adults pose specific challenges in risk stratification and optimizing their care based on the use of geriatric-specific triage tools. The aim of this integrative review is to appraise the impact of geriatric-specific triage tolls used in the ED and offer meaningful discussion on how to best address older adults in the ED setting. Findings from this review will help inform the efforts of clinicians, educators, researchers, and public health policy stakeholders charged in the care and advocacy for vulnerable older adults.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a chronic disorder that causes the unwanted backflow of gastric contents into the esophagus, throat, and mouth.1 Gastroesophageal reflux disease affects roughly 20% of the US population. It is estimated that older adults experience GERD symptoms more commonly and with greater severity because of age-related physiologic changes. Comorbidities and polypharmacy, common in older adults, can also exacerbate GERD symptoms, which can allow the disease to progress. This integrative review aims to identify key lifestyle-associated risk factors and interventions appropriate for older adults with GERD. Findings can drive evidence-based collaborative best practices to care for patients in both acute and community settings with GERD. Recommendations for nursing education material that aims to address the gap of multilingual and culturally relevant GERD content will be discussed. It is likely that the prevalence of GERD will increase as the prevalence of obesity increases. It is here that registered nurses can play an instrumental role in the prevention and management of GERD in older adults by providing education, promoting health behaviors, and serving as patient advocates.

Background In order to meet the demands of a dynamic and complex health care landscape, nursing education must develop and implement programming to produce a highly educated nursing workforce. Interprofessional honors education in nursing with targeted mentorship is one such model. Purpose To describe undergraduate nursing student and faculty perceptions and beliefs of mentorship in the context of interprofessional honors education, and compare and contrast the perceptions and beliefs about mentorship in interprofessional honors education between undergraduate nursing students and faculty. Methods The study used a cross-sectional, descriptive design. Data were collected at an urban university in the northeast US, using a researcher-developed electronic survey. The sample included 24 full-time nursing faculty, and 142 undergraduate nursing students. Results Perceptions and beliefs regarding mentorship in the context of interprofessional honors education were similar for faculty and students, with both ranking mentorship among the most important components of a successful honors program. Conclusions Honors education with a dedicated mentorship component may be implemented to improve the undergraduate education experience, facilitate advanced degree attainment, and develop future nursing leaders.