Strategies to reduce nurse shortages should consider differences in education, work patterns, and commuting behavior among rural and urban RNs. Solutions for rural areas require understanding of the impact of the workplace on these behaviors.
OASIS data can be used to analyze patient-level functional outcomes of short-term home health services. Further research is needed to continue refining methods of analyzing patient outcomes and their predictors.
In a recent article, Eliason et al raise important questions regarding the need for nursing to focus greater attention on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) issues. The present article discusses aspects of the profession's record on issues related to LGBT health and equality in the United States, focusing on civil rights, military discrimination, and human immunodeficiency virus/AIDS. It suggests an initial agenda focusing on public policy, nursing practice, education, and research. It then identifies potential organizational strategies for increasing the profession's visibility and consistency in addressing LGBT issues in the United States.
The Representation of Health Professionals on Governing Boards of Health Care Organizations in New York City. The heightened importance of processes and outcomes of care-including their impact on health care organizations' (HCOs) financial health-translate into greater accountability for clinical performance on the part of HCO leaders, including their boards, during an era of health care reform. Quality and safety of care are now fiduciary responsibilities of HCO board members. The participation of health professionals on HCO governing bodies may be an asset to HCO governing boards because of their deep knowledge of clinical problems, best practices, quality indicators, and other issues related to the safety and quality of care. And yet, the sparse data that exist indicate that physicians comprise more than 20 % of the governing board members of hospitals while less than 5 % are nurses and no data exist on other health professionals. The purpose of this two-phased study is to examine health professionals' representations on HCOs-specifically hospitals, home care agencies, nursing homes, and federally qualified health centers-in New York City. Through a survey of these organizations, phase 1 of the study found that 93 % of hospitals had physicians on their governing boards, compared with 26 % with nurses, 7 % with dentists, and 4 % with social workers or psychologists. The overrepresentation of physicians declined with the other HCOs. Only 38 % of home care agencies had physicians on their governing boards, 29 % had nurses, and 24 % had social workers. Phase 2 focused on the barriers to the appointment of health professionals to governing boards of HCOs and the strategies to address these barriers. Sixteen health care leaders in the region were interviewed in this qualitative study. Barriers included invisibility of health professionals other than physicians; concerns about "special interests"; lack of financial resources for donations to the organization; and lack of knowledge and skills with regard to board governance, especially financial matters. Strategies included developing an infrastructure for preparing and getting appointed various health professionals, mentoring, and developing a personal plan of action for appointments.
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