Enhancing Care Models to Capture Psychological Trauma.

Toxic levels of stress in childhood are an ongoing threat to public health. Traumatized children have special needs for health care to address their developmental, mental health, and medical problems, and mitigate risk for long-term health problems. Developmental trauma leads to increased use of medical, social, correctional, and mental health services. Longitudinal and retrospective studies link childhood trauma and adversity to academic difficulties, poor health, and low economic productivity in adulthood. Studies demonstrate a clear link among early childhood trauma, neglect, and malnutrition with somatic disease processes, such as high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, and diabetes. A wide range of care providers, from the emergency department to subspecialties, should consider enhancing their typical models of care to include the special needs of traumatized children and the adults they become. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 55(4), 29-36.].

Improving outcomes through the proper implementation of acute care nurse practitioners.

The Value-Based Purchasing Program is forcing hospitals to improve outcomes and decrease costs. This has led to recognition of new care models to improve outcomes and reimbursement. One model is the application of an acute care nurse practitioner (ACNP) into the hospital setting. Model success is dependent on proper implementation to create a synergistic relationship with the organization, ACNP, and patient to improve the quality of care and decrease costs for the hospital.

A Culturally Sensitive Approach to Cervical Cancer Prevention in the Latina Population Using the Promotora Model.

Latina women of low socioeconomic status are particularly vulnerable to morbidity and mortality from cervical cancer. Lower rates of screening are associated with increased mortality rates in this population. Community health workers known as promotoras de salud can be an effective part of the health care team to help improve health care access in this population. Promotoras using a cervical cancer education curriculum known as AMIGAS can help promote access to services, provide education, and possibly save lives in an underserved population. Nurses and advanced practice nurses who care for underserved Latina women can collaborate with promotoras to increase women's knowledge of cervical cancer screening and of community-based resources available to increase their access to Pap testing and human papillomavirus vaccination.

The STEADI toolkit: Incorporating a fall prevention guideline into the primary care setting.

Falls are a growing problem in the older adult population, leading to debilitating and traumatic consequences. The CDC's STEADI toolkit was created to assist providers in screening and managing falls. This article introduces the toolkit and examines the process and importance of adopting it into routine clinical practice.

The Design and Implementation of a Home-Based Cardiac Rehabilitation Program.

A home-based cardiac rehabilitation program improves access and enrollment by using an evidence-based alternative model of care.

Difficult professional choices: deciding between the PhD and the DNP in nursing.

Although the PhD has been the traditional doctoral degree in nursing, nurses now have a choice between that degree and the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree. An Internet-based exploratory survey of DNP students (n= 69) investigated the motivation of nurses to pursue doctoral education, factors that influenced the decision between the two degrees, rationale for choosing the DNP program, and career plans after graduation. A majority reported considering the PhD but decided the DNP would be more appropriate for their professional and personal goals. Nursing education was ranked as an important career intention for 55% of respondents, dispelling the concern that the DNP will increase the shortage of nursing faculty. The results indicate that the DNP degree is a desirable option for clinically oriented nurses considering doctoral education and provides nurses with a choice of educational pathways for their professional careers.