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AJN
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Bernardine Lacey and Sandra B. Lewenson about the article in which Lacey is featured, which details, in her own words, her experiences with racism in her education and career.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Christine Pabst about her article, which reviews the pathogenesis, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of pediatric neuropsychiatric disorders associated with strep infection.
AJN clinical editor Betsy Todd speaks with Brent Whitaker about his experience traveling to New York City in April 2020 to care for patients with COVID-19.
AJN clinical editor Betsy Todd speaks with Caitlin Doane about her experience traveling to New York City in April 2020 to care for patients with COVID-19.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Ellen Elpern about her article, a reflection on retiring on her own terms.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Stephanie Niu and Fidelindo Lim about their article, which reviews the effects of smoking on bone health, the importance of smoking cessation among patients scheduled for or recovering from orthopedic surgery, and the vital role nurses play in supporting patient efforts to quit.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Charlene Harrington about how nursing homes have been affected by COVID-19.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Sara Wohlford and Kimberly Ferren Carter about their article, which describes how nurses can promote workplace environmental sustainability initiatives in three areas: linen efficiency, supply waste reduction, and proper waste sorting.
AJN clinical editor Betsy Todd speaks with Donna Meyer about new collaborations that strengthen AD nursing education, and how AD education fits into the larger picture of the future of nursing.
AJN clinical editor Betsy Todd speaks with Christine Carlson about a QI project to improve the experiences of hospitalized visually impaired patients.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Leslie Mancuso, president and chief executive officer of Jhpiego, and Patricia M. Davidson, professor and dean of the School of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University, about the first-ever report on the State of the World’s Nursing.
In this podcast with AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy, Lisa Kennedy Sheldon discusses special COVID-19–related concerns for patients undergoing chemotherapy and for nurses who now may not have protective equipment necessary for handling toxic medications.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Liselotte Dyrbye about a study in which she and her colleagues surveyed a random sample of American Nurses Association members to find out the extent of career choice regret among U.S. nurses and whether burnout is an independent predictor.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Lynn Greenleaf Brown about her article, which discusses how a nursing faculty member and a pharmacy resident collaborated to offer free glycated hemoglobin testing and diabetes counseling at alocal community festival.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Mary C. Zonsius and Joanne M. Miller about their article, which describes the unique care needs of hospitalized patients
with dementia, highlighting evidence-based strategies and person-centered
care principles nurses can incorporate into practice.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Aimee Milliken and Melissa Uveges about their article, which reviews the development of brain death criteria, describes recent controversies and criteria updates, and discusses considerations for nurses who care for patients declared dead by neurologic criteria.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Hanna B. Demeke and Eugene McCray about their article, which discusses a new initiative proposed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that aims to reduce new HIV infections by 75% within five years and by 90% within 10 years.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Jaclyn Gabauer about her article, which explores the factors that contribute to polypharmacy in older adults, examines its negative physiological and economic effects, and outlines strategies to promote safe and appropriate medication prescribing.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Laura E. Britton, Amy Alspaugh, and Madelyne Z. Greene about their article—a comprehensive review of the major characteristics of nonpermanent contraceptive methods, including combined hormonal contraceptives, progestin-only methods, nonhormonal methods, and recent innovations in contraception.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Franklin A. Shaffer and Mukul A. Bakhshi about their article, which discusses the current state of international recruitment and reports on the findings of their study of foreign-educated health professionals and recruiters to further illuminate the recruitment experience.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy discusses The Year of the Nurse and Midwife with Pam Cipriano, PhD, RN, FAAN, dean of the University of Virginia School of Nursing in Charlottesville, past president of the American Nurses Association, and current first vice president of the International Council of Nurses.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Timiya S. Nolan and Kristine Browning about their article, which describes the concept of spiritual distress, and illustrates how nurses can incorporate into practice evidence-based recommendations for addressing cancer survivors’ spiritual needs.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Jessica Lynne Spruit about her article, which provides an overview of the approaches used to treat hematologic childhood cancers, explains which treatments are indicated for the various types of leukemia and lymphoma, and discusses nursing care of the child and family.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Emergency Nurses Association president Patricia Kunz Howard at the Emergency Nursing 2019 meeting in Austin, Texas.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Susan C. Reinhard about her guest editorial, which discusses the critical role nurses play in providing support to family caregivers.
AJN senior editor Corinne McSpedon speaks with school nurse Dawn Wilcox, who created and maintains the United States Femicide Database, which provides details on women and girls killed by men and boys annually.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with authors Lindsey Danielson and Lori Boyle about their article, which explores the evidence behind vaccine safety and efficacy and discusses nurses’ role in correcting misinformation and advocating for immunization.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with authors Ruth Lebet and Paule V. Joseph about their article, which provides a background in precision health care and the “omics” sciences—those that use genomic technologies to investigate the molecules in an organism’s cells—and discusses
the implications for nursing practice, research, and education.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with author Jeffrey Kwong about his article, which describes the current state of HIV treatment and prevention—including HIV risk reduction strategies such as PrEP and PEP—and highlights the common comorbidities often seen in older people living with HIV.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with author Rose O. Sherman about her article, which provides best-practice strategies for giving effective feedback—through building trust, promoting a growth mindset, and developing the courage to tackle difficult performance conversations.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with author Anne Katz about her article, which discusses the role of obesity in the development and recurrence of breast, gynecologic, and colorectal cancers in women; describes weight loss interventions that may help overweight or obese patients reduce their cancer risk; and explains interviewing techniques to address the often sensitive topic of overweight and obesity.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with author Edie Brous about her article, the first in a four-part series that will discuss the elements of a nursing malpractice case, specifically duty, breach, causation, and harm.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with author Mary Curry Narayan about her article, which describes the ways that implicit, or unconscious, bias among health care providers can contribute to health care disparities, and offers strategies nurses can use to discover and overcome their own implicit biases.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with author Susan B. Hassmiller about her guest editorial, which discusses a new report assessingthe nursing profession: The Future of Nursing 2020-2030, to be released at the end of 2020.
AJN clinical editor Betsy Todd speaks with author Deborah Wilson about her study, which explored the perceptions and concerns of Liberian RNs who work for international nongovernmental organizations in Liberia, yielding insights on how to improve collaboration between national and expatriate nursing staff.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with author Patricia J. Kelly about her work and observations while volunteering at and visiting migrant shelters in Tucson, Arizona, and San Diego, California.
AJN senior editor Corinne McSpedon speaks with Red Cross nurse Debby Dailey about her article, which describes her experience supporting a California woman in the days and months after a fire destroyed the woman’s home.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with author Genevieve Beaird about her article, which examines how the nurse’s role in bedside rounding has evolved since the 19th century.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with author Sharon J. Tucker about her article, the first in a new series focused on the most challenging of the seven EBP steps—implementation.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with authors Patricia Keresztes and Annette Peacock-Johnson about their article, which reviews established and newer type 2 diabetes medications, plus nursing implications for patient education and monitoring for adverse effects.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with authors Xin Lin and Stacie Corcoran about their article, which provides an overview of Hodgkin lymphoma, the most common late effects of treatment, and current recommendations for survivor surveillance and screening.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with lead author Maria Pinero about her article, which describes how clinical nurses developed and successfully incorporated a peer review program within a busy nursing unit, strengthening professional relationships and practice.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with author Linda Koharchik about her article, which offers strategies for fostering grit—a trait marked by perseverance and resilience and associated with success—in nursing students.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with authors Ruth Ludwick and Kristin R. Baughman about their study, which surveyed RNs and LPNs working in skilled nursing facilities to learn about the similarities and differences in their advance care planning–related beliefs, sense of self-efficacy, education, and practices.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with author Blima Marcus about her article, which discusses why nurses should serve on boards, the barriers to doing so, and how these barriers can be overcome.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with authors Martha A. Q. Curley and Sandy M. Quigley about their article, which offers guidance on use of the Braden QD Scale—a pediatric risk assessment instrument that reliably predicts both immobility-related and medical device–related pressure injuries.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Gail Powell-Cope and Deborah Rugs, coauthors of “Patient Handling and Mobility Course Content: A National Survey of Nursing Programs.”
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with author Linda Eanes about her article, which examines compelling evidence that overall daily sitting time—regardless of whether a person engages in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity—may be an independent health risk for cardiometabolic health conditions, certain cancers, and all-cause mortality.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with authors Ellen Elpern and Joanne M. Disch about their article, which describes the benefits of using retired nurses to complement existing hospital staff and offers recommendations for setting up a program to effectively use these volunteers in the hospital setting.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with author Jessica Castner about her article, which provides an overview of particulate matter exposure and health, and management strategies for practice.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with author Michael J. Deem about his article, in which he argues for greater nurse involvement in practices’ decisions regarding dismissal policies.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with authors Karen Trotochaud, Heather Fitzgerald, and Angela D. Knackstedt—all of whom lead ethics champion programs at their respective institutions—about their article, which discusses how these programs prepare nurses to function as unit-based ethics resources for colleagues as they face various ethical issues and challenges.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Maureen Cannon, coauthor of “Breast Cancer Screening: A Review of Current Guidelines.”
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with author Edie Brous about her article, which discusses legal considerations for providers regarding the dismissal of vaccine-refusing families.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with author Erika R. Vucko about her article, which reviews the epidemiology and pathophysiology of Gaucher disease—an inherited metabolic condition that can affect the spleen, liver, bone, bone marrow, and central nervous system—and discusses recent advances in screening, diagnosis, and management.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with author Ann B. Hamric about her article, which presents the panel discussion that occurred during a policy dialogue on aid in dying (AID) at the American Academy of Nursing’s annual conference in 2016. The discussion explored the arguments for and against the growing state expansion of AID legislation, and the role of nurses in assisting patients who request AID.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with author Margaret Carman about her article, which reviews the blood products that are commonly transfused, discusses the potential complications of transfusion—including TACO, TRALI, and TRIM—and outlines current recommendations for transfusion
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Barbara J. Polivka about her article, which discusses the impact of the Great London Smog of 1952 on human health and subsequent pollution legislation—including the U.S. Clean Air Act—and its implications for nurses today, as dangerous air quality events continue and environmental regulations are increasingly under threat.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with author Cheryl Holly about the findings of her study, in which she and her colleagues examined the evidence regarding the risk factors for and characteristics of acute pediatric delirium in hospitalized children.
AJN clinical editor Betsy Todd speaks with Ann Reed Mangels about her article, which reviews the many cognitive, psychological, social, and economic factors that can affect the nutritional status of older adults, and discusses how nurses can intervene to prevent and address malnutrition in these patients.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with author Anne Shea-Lewis about her study, in which she and her colleagues compared the maternal and neonatal outcomes among laboring women permitted ad lib oral intake with those permitted nothing by mouth except for ice chips. The findings support relaxing the restrictions on oral intake in cases of uncomplicated labor.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with author Mary Beth Flynn Makic about her article, which discusses recent updates to the Surviving Sepsis Campaign’s sepsis treatment guidelines, changes in the sepsis bundle interventions, and the new definitions and predictive tools introduced in the Third International Consensus Definitions for Sepsis and Septic Shock.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with author Tina Gerardi about her article, which reports findings from the four-year Academic Progression in Nursing initiative to identify and develop the most promising strategies for creating a more highly educated nursing workforce.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with author Cindy M. Anderson about her article, which reviews current practice related to preeclampsia risk assessment, prediction, and management, plus updated diagnostic criteria from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Task Force on Hypertension in Pregnancy.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with author Cydnee Sankey-Deemer about her study, which explored whether rural Pennsylvania providers offered military service screening to their patients.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with author Elizabeth Bridges about her article, which discusses how to integrate capillary refill time and skin mottling score into the perfusion reassessment after initial fluid resuscitation—as recommended by revisions to the Surviving Sepsis Campaign six-hour bundle.
AJN AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with authors Joanne Disch and Jane Barnsteiner about their study, which investigated nursing school policies and practices for reporting and tracking student errors and near misses.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with author Nancy Berlinger about her article, which discusses how nurses can be creative problem solvers without resorting to workarounds that may be ethical in intent yet potentially harmful in their consequences.
AJN clinical editor Betsy Todd speaks with author Nancy O’Connor about her article, which suggests six changes to make in your practice to prevent transmission of C. difficile.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with AJN’s legal and ethical contributing editors Edie Brous and Douglas P. Olsen about their article, which offers insight on the issues raised by a case in which a Canadian nurse’s Facebook post complaining about a family member’s medical care resulted in disciplinary action by the licensing board.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with author Kathleen Czekanski about her article, which describes a qualitative study she conducted to explore the lived experiences of people who transitioned to the role of caregiver for a family member with dementia, with the aim of understanding the caregiver’s transition experience, the meaning caregivers attributed to their experience, and strategies they identified as effective in facilitating their transition.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with author Loren Staplin about his article, which discusses the specific driving risks adults face as they age and how nurses can raise older patients’ awareness of these risks.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with author John Parmer about his article, which provides an overview of tuberculosis transmission, pathogenesis, and epidemiology, presents preventive care recommendations for targeted testing among high-risk groups, and discusses the nursing implications of a new U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement on latent tuberculosis infection testing.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with author Regina Cardaci about her article, which describes the practices and policies of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative—a program developed by the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children’s Fund to promote breastfeeding in hospitals and birthing facilities worldwide.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with author Katie Gresia McElroy about her article, which provides an overview of the current state of knowledge about the human microbiome—with a focus on the microbiota in the GI tract and the vagina, the two most commonly studied body sites—and discusses implications for nursing practice.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Linda M. MacIntyre, the chief nurse of the American Red Cross, about her article, which discusses how demographic shifts in the United States are creating a greater need for ethnically and racially diverse blood donors—and what nurses can do to help.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Geraldine Rose Britton, lead author of “The Experiences of Pregnant Smokers and Their Providers.”
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Kathleen G. Burke, Tonya Johnson, and Christine Sites about their study, in which they developed eight nursing competency domains and 186 related knowledge, skills, and attitudes for professional nursing practice, then sought to validate them and to determine their developmental progression within a clinical advancement program.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Laura Anderko and Barbara Polivka about “Project TENDR,” a collaborative initiative of scientists, health professionals, and children’s health advocates to promote chemical policy reform to reduce exposure to hazardous chemicals.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with nurses from Shawnee Mission Medical Center in Shawnee Mission, Kansas, about a study they conducted to determine how an electronic risk assessment tool would compare with nurses’ judgment in identifying patients at risk.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Mary H. Palmer about her article, which provides an evidence-based review of the screening, assessment, and management of overactive bladder in women—many of whom do not seek help for the condition and try to self-manage its symptoms, which may inadvertently worsen them.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Stephanie Chalupka about her article, which examines the evidence on the likely effects of climate change on mental health and well-being, and discusses these health impacts, their mechanisms of action, and the unique vulnerabilities of some populations, as well as the need to build resilience.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with author Karen Roush about her article, which offers suggestions for developing good writing habits and tips on getting started. It’s the first in a new series designed to help nurses sharpen their writing skills.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Linda MacIntyre, chief nurse of the American Red Cross, about what nurses do as volunteers.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with authors Sonya L. Kowalski and Maureen Anthony about their article, in which they explore the nurse’s historical and contemporary role in promoting patient safety by discussing a content analysis they conducted of 1,086 AJN articles published from 1900 through 2015.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with author Anne Katz about her article, which describes the risk factors, clinical features, and treatment of human papillomavirus (HPV)–related oral cancers, and suggests ways for nurses to educate patients on and correct misconceptions about HPV transmission
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with author Christine Anne Ganzer about her article, which reviews research confirming that both active-duty and veteran women are at increased risk for postdeployment mental health problems, and also addresses the nursing practice implications, including screening.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Susan C. Reinhard and Heather M. Young about their guest editorial, which address the need for nurses to provide family caregivers with more guidance on performing increasingly complex tasks.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with authors Douglas P. Olsen and Mary Alison Smania about their article, which examines the ethical and practical significance of making a distinction between research and not research when using data to identify best practices and improve care.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with author Tonja M. Hartjes about her article, which provides an overview of clinical considerations related to the assessment and treatment of pain, agitation, and delirium, which often occur together as parts of a syndrome that may be difficult to recognize in older adults.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with author Debra L. Campo about her article, which provides an overview of the signs and symptoms of myocardial infarction in women and highlights how the failure to recognize them in the case of one woman—herself a nurse—led to misdiagnosis and could have resulted in death.
The experience of military sexual trauma (MST), which can result from assault, battery, or harass¬ment of a sexual nature, may jeopardize the mental health of service members as well as that of their fam¬ily members, colleagues, and community members. AJN’s editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with lead author Denise M. Eckerlin about her article, which examines the unique ways in which men experience MST and explores the influence of stereotypes of masculinity, myths surrounding sexual assault, and military culture and structure on victims.
The overall incidence of head and neck cancer has declined in the United States over the past 30 years due to reduction in tobacco use. Over that same period, however, the worldwide incidence of oropharyngeal cancer has escalated significantly—an epidemic rise that is largely attributed to certain genotypes of the human papillomavirus (HPV). AJN’s editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with lead author Janet McKiernan about her article, which provides an overview of head and neck cancer—its incidence, risk factors, treatment, and posttreatment sequelae—with a focus on HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer.
Young adult burn survivors who were burned before they reached young adulthood face particular challenges in meeting their needs for socialization. AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with author Marie S. Giordano about a qualitative study she conducted to explore young adult burn survivors’ use of social media as a way to find social support, express their identity while safeguarding their privacy, and further their healing.
Over the past two decades, the use of opioids to manage chronic pain has increased substantially. Within this same period, unintentional death related to prescription opioids has been identified as a public health crisis, owing in part to such factors as insufficient professional training and medication overprescription, misuse, and diversion. AJN’s editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Risa Denenberg and Carol P. Curtiss about their article, which offers an overview of current best practices for prescribing opioids for chronic pain.
Moral distress is a pervasive problem in the nursing profession. An inability to act in alignment with one’s moral values is detrimental not only to the nurse’s well-being but also to patient care and clinical practice as a whole. AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Cynda Hylton Rushton, who wrote about the concept and prevalence of moral distress in nursing, and how it can lead to moral resilience.
AJN’s editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks to author Amanda Anderson about the initial installment of her new column for recent graduates, “Transition to Practice,” in which she shares preparation tips for the first day on the job.
In the rural setting, women who experience intimate partner violence (IPV) face unique challenges. AJN’s editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy with Karen Roush about a study she conducted to analyze the perceptions of rural health care providers regarding IPV prevalence, how comfortable they feel asking about emotional and physical abuse, and whether they feel able to help those women who disclose it.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy discusses Theresa Brown’s latest What I’m Reading column as well as her book, “The Shift.”
Although napping is used to reduce sleepiness and fatigue in other safety-sensitive industries, it has not had widespread acceptance in nursing. AJN’s editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks to lead author Jeanne Geiger-Brown about the results of a project conducted to assess the barriers to successful implementation of night-shift naps and to describe the nap experiences of night-shift nurses.
AJN’s editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks co-author Deborah Greenwald about a study of nurses’ self-reported health-promoting behaviors, which revealed that many nurses may not practice adequate self-care, and underscored the importance of prioritizing nurses’ health at both the individual and institutional levels.
Research has shown that nurses who participate in shared decision making (SDM) have more control over their practice and greater job satisfaction, and hospitals that have instituted SDM have lower rates of nurse turnover and better patient outcomes. AJN’s editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Karen Murray, who wrote about the successful implementation of a shared decision-making structure at a pediatric Magnet hospital and the lessons learned from the project.
Child sexual abuse is a global issue that all nurses must be aware of and knowledgeable about as they care for children in various settings. AJN’s editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Donna Sabella, who wrote about the prevalence, potential risk factors, and possible signs and symptoms of child sexual abuse, as well as long-term issues faced by survivors.
From 1995 to 2010, U.S. prisons saw a 282% rise in the number of older inmates (ages 55 and older), and between 2001 and 2007, nearly 8,500 prisoners ages 55 and older died while incarcerated. AJN’s editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with one of the authors about their review of the literature, in which they reveal the challenges of providing end-of-life care to prisoners and suggest steps nurses can take to improve this care and address the challenges faced by dying inmates and the inmate volunteers who care for them.
Nurse-to-nurse bullying is unfortunately common in health care settings—studies reveal it ranges from 31% to 57%. AJN’s editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Ronald Keller, who wrote about an initiative put in place in his acute care setting to address the problem.
Studies have shown that a diverse health care workforce is key to reducing racial and ethnic disparities in health care. But while the U.S. Latino population has tripled, the Latino RN workforce has not kept pace. AJN’s editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with the author about the issues spurring this research and what can be done to increase the number of Latino nurses.
AJN Editor-in-Chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with author Victoria Menzies about her article “Fibromyalgia Syndrome: Current Considerations in Symptom Management.”
The Elder Justice Act was signed into law in 2010 as part of the Affordable Care Act. AJN’s Editor-in-Chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with elder care expert Terry Fulmer on the effects of this law and its implications for nurses.
AJN launches the first article in a series on cancer survivorship care. Author Kara Mosesso and Mary McCabe, clinical director of the Cancer Survivorship Initiative at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discuss this article, which reviews the identification, evaluation, and management of potential treatment-related effects in adult survivors of hematopoietic stem cell transplants.
2015 marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the NP role with the launch of the first NP program at the University of Colorado in 1965. AJN’s editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with the authors, both at the Barbara Bates Center for the Study of Nursing History at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, about the significance of the role and future directions
AJN launches the first in a five-part series of articles that will examine various aspects of holistic nursing and integrative care. AJN editor in chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Margo Halm, co-author of this overview of how hospitals are incorporating these therapies for patients, families and staff. Subsequent articles will focus on the most common modalities, including imagery, massage, acupressure and essential oils.
Author Barbra Mann Wall describes her article, which uses oral history interviews to give voice to retired African nurse leaders, who describe what nursing practice and education meant to them during and after periods of colonization in Africa from the 1950s to the 1970s. Their stories offer alternative concepts of nursing identity formation and professionalism.
Author Renee C.B. Manworren describes how prescription opioid abuse has reached epidemic levels in the U.S. Her article explains that nurses are in a vital position to help reverse this public health crisis and provides three key interventions in which nurses play a critical role to help prevent opioid abuse.
Author Linda K. Anderson describes her article “Nursing Management of Patients with Ehlers—Danlos Syndrom, in which she provides and overview of this hereditary connective tissue disorder. She offers guidance on ways nurses can manage symptoms, recognize and prevent serious complications , and improve patients’ quality of life.
Author Corinna Dan describes her article, which reviews the epidemiology and diagnosis of viral hepatitis. It also discusses new screening recommendations and innovations in assessment and treatment of the disease. It also outlines an updated action plan in which nurses play an important role in the coordination of care for viral hepatitis
Author Gigi Smith describes her article, the first in a two-part series on epilepsy, which discusses new research on the causes of epilepsy, new definitions that are changing the ways we evaluate the disease, and the psychosocial challenges faced by people who have it.
Author Linda Eanes describes the acute and chronic effects of sleep loss on nurses, strategies they can use to increase the quantity and quality of their sleep, and institutional policies that can promote adequate rest and recuperation between work shifts for nursing staff.
There are multiple options available for men with newly diagnosed, low-risk, localized prostate cancer. Author Anne Katz explains how nurses can help these men and their partners make treatment decisions that are appropriate for their particular circumstances.
Author Debra Gerardi describes her article - the first in a three-part series on conflict engagement for nurse leaders. She explains these abilities and presents a model for addressing conflict based on recognizing the importance of relationships and the patterns they create.
Author Jane Braaten discusses how she used a framework of cognitive work analysis to examine factors affecting nurses’ decision making when activating rapid response teams in emergency situations.
Author Susan Hassmiller discusses the impact of the Institute of Medicine’s 2010 report, The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health, at five years. This is the first article in our new series exploring the report’s recommendations, outcomes, and projections.
Life-threatening problems can occur years after repair of congenital heart defects and many adults who had these repairs as children may present in EDs, clinics and other non-cardiac settings, especially if they have not had ongoing cardiology follow-up. AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with author McRae about her work with these patients and what nurses in any setting need to know about congenital heart disease.
ICN CEO David Benton speaks about the challenges with safely delivering health care to patients and families in conflict zones across the world. He describes how ICN provides resources and support to nurses in these areas.
Three nurses from Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit, MI, discuss how their evidence-based project found that smaller-than-20-gauge catheters can be used safely.
Sufferers of mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI) often have no physical symptoms and this injury may be undetected at first, yet it often has a profound negative effect on quality of life, including functional abilities and interpersonal relationships. AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with author Hyatt about her work with these patients and what all nurses need to know to recognize mTBI injuries.
Author Maureen Cavanagh shares her experience treating a pregnant woman with terminal ovarian cancer, and how the patient inspired in staff a commitment to patient-centered care.
Authors Kathleen McCauley and Karen B. Hirschman discuss the identification and management of cognitive impairment in hospitalized older adults. They stress that research involving this population must actively engage clinicians, patients, and family caregivers, as well as address the complex process of managing postdischarge care.
This is a story of how a team of nurses restored a patient’s hope. Editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with the lead author of the team at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester about how they helped this patient with an unusual and painful illness to begin a journey towards recovery. Their attention to basic nursing care with a holistic approach is an exemplar of what care should be.
Dr. Kathleen Murphy is the author of this month’s In Our Community, “Emergency Anaphylaxis at School.” She discusses how as the health services director for the Milwaukee Public Schools, she witnessed children having symptoms of anaphylaxis who lacked the first response they needed. As a result, Dr. Murphy helped to develop and initiate an emergency anaphylaxis response protocol so nurses would have access to stock epinephrine autoinjectors.
Seth Reed is the lead author on this month’s CE, “Champions for Central Line Care.” He discusses his work as a nurse in the acuity adaptable critical care unit at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, Pennsylvania, where he and colleagues developed a quality improvement project for reducing central line associated blood stream infections.
Rohini Paul is the primary author of this month’s CE, “Sustaining Pressure Ulcer Best Practices in a High-Volume Cardiac care Environment.” As one of the world’s largest and busiest cardiac hospitals, NHCH experienced a sharp increase in surgical procedures in 2009 as well as a rise in hospital acquired pressure ulcers. As a result, staff embarked on an ambitious plan to reduce these occurrences, and were surprisingly successful.
Jeniece Trast is a clinical research nurse and certified diabetes educator in the Division of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes at Children’s Hospital Montefiore Medical Center in Bronx, New York. A former patient of Trast’s, 16-year-old Ana and her mother, Angie, describe adjusting to the special physical and psychological challenges in managing type 1 diabetes during adolescence.
The health care needs of people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) are receiving attention from the IOM and AHRQ to address disparities that result from lingering social stigma. AJN’s editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy talks with lead author Fidel Lim about the issues and how nurses can help provide culturally competent care.
Less than a year after being was struck by a devastating earthquake, Haiti experienced a widespread cholera epidemic. Mary Lou Fisher, author of this article, discusses with AJN editor in chief Shawn Kennedy the work of Samaritan’s Purse, an NGO group, in responding to the epidemic and treating over 23,000 patients at several sites.
Clinical Managing Editor Karen Roush and author Tracy Evanson discuss the importance of screening all patients for intimate partner violence and the unique issues rural survivors encounter because of where they live.
Telehealth (using technology and communications to provide care over long distances) is gaining in use as it contributes to increasing access to care and lowering cost by promoting out-of-hospital care and reducing readmissions. But because it’s new and unfamiliar, adoption may be slow or even resisted by some. Author Janet Grady discusses with AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy the important role telehealth is playing in care and offers a view of how it can be incorporated by nurses as a new tool to provide high quality care.
It used to be that evidence of sexual assault was not collected during the initial health exam unless the assault survivor had already initiated a report to law enforcement agencies. However, recognizing the trauma surrounding an assault, some states do conduct a forensic exam, store the evidence and allow survivors up to two years to decide whether or not to report the crime. Lead author Laurie Heffron discusses with AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy the findings of her mixed methods study of the impact of this nonreport option on health professionals, survivors and the criminal justice system.
Brous is a nurse and attorney, a contributing editor for AJN, and coordinates our legal column. AJN editor-in-chief discusses with Brous common problems that lead nurses to her door and what nurses can learn from this particular case.
Although pain following tonsillectomy varies from patient to patient, it is typically prolonged, constant and fairly severe. Editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with the authors about their work in managing pain following the procedure, changes in guidelines and thinking around medications and schedules, and important considerations for increasing parental adherence to treatment plans.
Recent mass shootings may lead the public to believe all people with mental illness can become violent. Author Donna Sabella discusses with AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy what role, if any, mental illness plays in violent behavior. She describes what the research shows and offers some pointers for assessing for violence risk.
In June 2010, we published Pittman’s article on ethical recruitment of foreign-educated nurses (FENS); now, Pittman and colleagues report on a survey of FENS regarding equitable treatment in the workplace. Editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy discusses the findings with Pittman.
If you’ve ever been a patient in a hospital, you know how noisy it is, even at night. One unit at Boston’s Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center decided to embark on a quality improvement project aimed at decreasing noise to promote sleep. Gina Murphy, the nurse manager of the unit and the lead author, discusses the project with AJN’s editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy.
Should there be an influenza pandemic, hospitals will need to rely on their employees who may be fearful for their own health or spreading the illness to families. In this study, research Sharon Martin and colleagues report on a survey of Maine nurses and their willingness to report to work and what factors might influence them to do so. Some of her results are surprising. AJN’s editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy discusses the ramifications of her findings and what nurse administrators need to keep in mind.
Hospitals invest considerable resources in recruiting and transitioning new nurses to practice, yet many leave after their first year. This qualitative research study explores what a cohort of these nurses have to say about what they found valuable – or not- in their orientation program. Editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy discusses the issues with the lead author and what the key messages might be.
Also known as valley fever, this fungal infection is under-diagnosed or often misdiagnosed, leading to debilitating and chronic effects. Editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy discusses the author’s personal experiences, why this disease seems to be increasing, and what she hopes nurses will take away from this article.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy sits down with Bev Malone at the NLN Summit in September 2013, in Washington, DC. Discussion ranges from NLN’s recent move of its headquarters to Washington DC from New York City, NLN’s strategies and priorities and status of the nursing faculty shortage.
Often times, mouth care may be neglected or performed inadequately to reduce oral bacteria that may cause pneumonia. This article offers a step-by- step guide to evidence-based practice for oral care for intubated patients. Editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy discusses the author’s experience in writing this article and what she hopes nurses will take away from it.
AJN's editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Dr. Hartley, who along with nurse epidemiologist Marilyn Ridenour, led a team to develop a program to educate nurses about workplace violence. The program, a series of online modules, is free and available at 
Current practices in the treatment and transfer of pregnant inmates in this country may negatively affect maternal and fetal health or well-being. Some, like shackling during labor, may violate federal or state laws; others conflict with standards of obstetric care and are widely considered unethical or inhumane. Editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy discusses these practices and implications for nurses with the author.
Clinical managing editor Karen Roush speaks with Dr. Jodie Gary, assistant professor at Texas ANM Health Science Center College, and author of the article “Exploring the Concept and Use of Positive Deviance in Nursing.” She describes the difficulty nurses encounter providing patient-centered care while remaining within strict policies in a complex environment. Nurses who extend care beyond these policies know that they’re deviating, but are doing so in a responsible way with honorable intentions that benefit the patient. She suggests increased flexibility through guidelines rather than rules under circumstances that require the adaptation of care to suit the patient and their immediate needs.
It’s estimated that only 25% of veterans access care through the VA Health Care System, so it’s highly likely that nurses in all settings will find themselves at some point providing care to veterans. Editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with this author about the unique health issues of recent veterans and what nurses should know and think about when they are assessing them.
Nurses often encounter patients who, despite best efforts by both the nurse and the patient, are unable to follow the treatment plan and may even pursue hurtful behaviors, like a patient with COPD who continues to smoke. Editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with the author, who is also AJN’s contributing editor for ethics, about this issue, how it can interfere with the nurse-patient relationship, and approaches nurses can take when patients do self-defeating behavior.
AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy interviewed outgoing ICN president Rosemary Bryant in Melbourne, Australia, site of the 25th Quadrennial Congress. Bryant, who is Australia’s chief nurse and midwifery officer, spoke about her accomplishments and challenges, including recent issues around dues, governance changes and the suspension of the Royal College of Nursing.
Sleep patterns are fairly well-established until adolescence when physiologic and social needs interfere with sleep cycles. Adolescents typically need about nine hours of sleep but typically get far less. AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy discusses the ramifications of sleep disruptions in this group with author Nancy George.
In our May issue, we celebrate Nurses Week with this podcast on a program at Salem Hospital called Nurses Give Back. These projects addressed access to care and community health improvement activities (such as vaccination drives) and community building (working with Habitat for Humanity, for instance). Some were designed to provide money and in-kind contributions to chosen charities. Other projects benefited patients during hospitalization, such as the “Clothing Closet,” which is stocked by the staff and offers items to homeless and low-income patients.
In our April issue, we give a nod to Earth Day (April 22) and its focus on the environment. The article, “Greening the ‘Proclamation for Change’: Healing Through Sustainable Health Care Environments” (free until May 8), by Laura Anderko and colleagues Stephanie Chalupka, Whitney Austin Gray, and Karen Kesten, highlights how hospitals can incorporate design elements and practices not only to reduce energy consumption and garbage, but to provide a healing environment for patients and staff.
People with mental health issues are often labeled as mentally ill even though they may be functional and even successful in other areas. Author Sabella and AJN editor in chief Shawn Kennedy discuss how our view of mental illness focuses on definitions of pathology (which can change over time) and tends to be limiting in a holistic view of human reactions.
“Acute kidney injury is an independent risk factor for both prolonged length of hospital stay and in-hospital mortality.” Incidence rates among patients in US ICUs ranges from 22% to as high as 57%. Vrtis talks with AJN editor in chief Shawn Kennedy about the importance of assessing early indicators and implications for nurses.
Sex in nursing homes? Why not. As author Katz explains, “we all have a fundamental need for touch and self-expression.” AJN editor in chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Dr. Anne Katz about how most facilities haven’t addressed this issue and what might nurses and administrators consider.
While there’s been much in the literature about the importance of improving hand hygiene practices in acute care settings, there’s been little about this topic in the outpatient setting. AJN editor in chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with the lead author about this report on an intervention to improve hand hygiene practices among health care providers in two outpatient clinics.
Medication regimens in patients with Parkinson’s Disease may be complex, partly owing to the short one-to-two hour half-life of the primary medication, carbidopa-levodopa (Sinemet). When these patients are subject to prolonged medication withholding because of NPO restrictions prior to surgery, symptoms become exacerbated quickly and patients can become agitated, hallucinate and suffer extreme rigidity. AJN editor in
chief Shawn Kennedy discusses the findings of these two studies with the authors and the implications for nurses.
The article details how a public health nurse (Matthews) teamed-up with a mother (Moore) who lost her young son to SIDS. Together, they helped change Arkansas child-care licensing regulations to mandate safe sleeping practices. AJN editor in chief Shawn Kennedy talks with them and pediatrician David Matthews (husband of Rebecca and Moore’s pediatrician) about their successful public health initiative.
We know that traditional health counseling for obese children and adolescents, in which we prescribe more exercise and better eating habits, hasn’t been all that successful. AJN editor in chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Viewpoint author Bonnie Gance-Cleveland about her work with obese teens and their families that began with an initiative by NAPNAP in 1996 and has become her focus. She discussed using motivational interviewing as a collaborative approach to help families change.
While growth in many other professions have seen more balance in the sexes, this has not been true for nursing. Men still represent fewer than 10% of licensed RNs since 2000. AJN’s editor in chief discusses the issues with the authors (in photo, Bonnie Schmidt with Brent MacWilliams, and Michael Bleich), examining what factors might be barriers to more men becoming nurses and how might the professional change them.
AJN’s editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy talks with author Meredeth Rowe about her CE feature article this month, in which she explains the difference between missing incidents in people with dementia, and dementia-related ‘wandering;’ a distinction that is critical to assessment, intervention, and prevention.
Many people erroneously consider depression to be an inevitable part of aging, but this is untrue. AJN’s editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy talks with author Cynthia Cahoon about her review article, in which she provides an overview of depression in older adults and offers information on screening, treatments and implications for nurses.
AJN’s editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy talks with author Donna Sabella about what has become one of the hallmark illnesses among returning Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans: PTSD.
Brigadier General (RET) Bill Bester MSN, RN, NEA-BC speaks with editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy about health care for veterans returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The majority of these new veterans will access care outside of the VA health system and it’s important that nurses in all clinical settings be aware of the health issues of this emerging population.
AJN’s clinical managing editor Karen Roush speaks with authors Mary Anne McCabe and Eileen Toughill about their article which explores treatments, testing, and symptoms of celiac disease.
Editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Edie Brous, an active defense lawyer for over 30 years. Her series, debuting in October 2012, is designed to educate readers on misconceptions around nursing board actions, what actions nurses should take if they are called before the board, and strategies to safeguard their nursing license.
Associate editor Alison Bulman interviews Carolyn Jones, who discusses her new book, The American Nurse. Rhonda Collins, MSN, RN, came up with the idea for the book as part of the American Nurse Project. Collins is vice president and business manager of infusion therapy/clinical nutrition company Fresenius Kabi USA, which supported the project. Jones traveled the country in search of “the best of the best” nurses, from those working with coal miners with black lung disease, to prison inmates, veterans, and some of the nation’s poorest populations. Knowing nothing about nurses when starting the project, by the end, Jones understood what nurses really do, witnessed how much of themselves they bring to patient care, and her 75 black-and-white portraits of them tell their stories with heart and profound respect.
Clinical managing editor Karen Roush interviews Acieta Small, who discusses her implementation of a staff education program for improved patient care while she managed a med-surge unit at New York University’s large teaching facility, Langone Medical Center, in New York City. A quality of care assessment of the unit, staffed with long-term nursing attendants and RNs, found that patient care services were negatively impacted by practice issues such as attendant accuracy with vital signs, recording intake and output, and communication among the technicians and nurses. Although the RNs were involved in continuing education opportunities, technicians were not. Nurses volunteered to lead an initiative to upgrade technicians’ skills by addressing their educational needs. Both collaborated to define staff roles, which enhanced their team spirit for better patient care.
According to the ICN, there were approximately 200 nurses working for the WHO in 1968; today that figure has dropped to eight. Further, the position of Chief Scientist, Nursing and Midwifery, a directorate position, has not been replaced. AJN’s editor in chief Shawn Kennedy and clinical managing editor Karen Roush discuss the ramifications of the diminished nursing presence at the WHO with Benton and how ICN is putting pressure on the WHO to reinstate a nursing presence.
Patients transitioning from hospital to outpatient primary care often have difficulty navigating the health system, making appointments, understanding their care regimens. This is especially true for those with complex needs, poor education, lack of housing and resources. NP Eliza Newbold and physician colleague Michelle Schneidermann discuss how their clinic came to be with AJN’s editor in chief, Shawn Kennedy and describe its impact on patient transitions.
Boards of nursing exist to protect the public, and when they receive a complaint against a nurse, they must launch an investigation. AJN’s editor in chief Shawn Kennedy and Mangin, a nurse-turned-attorney, discuss what nurses need to know about how boards of nursing function and what to do if they come under investigation by a nursing board.
HPV is the most common sexually transmitted disease (STD) in the United States and the primary cause of cervical cancer. In this interview with AJN’s editor in chief Shawn Kennedy, author Dang reasons why she supports the passage of the California law allowing children 12 years and older to self-consent for preventive services to reduce transmission of STDs.
AJN’s editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy talks with author Ellen Baer about her historical article, in which she postulates that distinct periods in nursing’s early formal development were dominated by particular themes.
Interview with Marilyn H. Oermann, co-author of “Competence in CPR,” (May 2012) and with Jo Haag, Director Global Training, ECC Programs, American Heart Association and Mary Fran Hazinski, Professor, Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, and Clinical Specialist, Pediatric Critical Care at Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt and Senior Science Editor for the American Heart Association . (From left: Hazinski, Oermann, Haag)
An estimated 62 million adult Americans lived with some type of disability in 2001-2005…”, explains researcher Suzanne Smeltzer in her introduction. And many of these people end up in hospitals and often feel unsafe. AJN’s editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy talks with author Smeltzer about her research and is joined by the authors (both of whom have disabilities from multiple sclerosis) of a companion piece who discuss their experiences.
Despite the availability of effective contraceptive methods, unintended pregnancy continues to be a significant health problem for women throughout the world. Clinical Managing Editor, Karen Roush, talks to Kit Devine about her article on the underutilization of emergency contraception. They discuss some of the issues surrounding emergency contraception and Devine talks about how nurses can help increase awareness of emergency contraception, correct common misconceptions, and facilitate patient access.
AJN The American Journal of Nursing Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis, with over 10% of the U.S. adult population living with OA, and by 2030, that number is expected to increase to 67 million adults. AJN collaborated with the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City, and the National Association of Orthopaedic Nurses on this
project to engage nurses in the national public health initiative on OA. The multidisciplinary invitational symposium brought together 40 participants involved in research, practice, teaching or advocacy. AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy discusses OA and the findings of the report with Laura Robbins (left) and Marje Kulesa, co-leaders of the project. To read the full report, go to
In this interview, Karen Roush talks with Donna Sabella about her new column in AJN, Mental Health Matters. Sabella always knew she wanted to specialize in mental health and she shares her enthusiasm for this often maligned area of nursing. Sabella talks about the important role nurses have in providing mental health care and some of the rewards and challenges it presents. All nurses need to be able to recognize and respond to mental health needs, whether for a grief-stricken family member in the ICU or a patient with decompensated schizophrenia in the Emergency Department.
Clinical Managing Editor, Karen Roush, talks with Susan Letvak about her research on nurse’s presenteeism, the loss of productivity associated with working with health problems. Letvak discusses why presenteeism is prevalent in nursing, the impact it has on quality of care, and its economic costs. She gives nurses ideas on what can be done to decrease presenteeism – from the role of the bedside nurse to the organizational and policy levels.
In her Viewpoint, Diers talks how we count nurses and points out the many places nurses can be found – places where they often aren’t counted and should be. AJN’s Clinical Managing Editor, Karen Roush, interviews Diers about why this is important and what nurses can do to make sure that they, and the many-faceted roles they take on, are counted.
Accidental hypothermia can be deadly, and as Davis points out in his article, it can happen quickly and go unrecognized. AJN’s Clinical Managing Editor, Karen Roush, interviews Davis about this condition and what nurses in every setting need to know to recognize and manage it when it occurs.
Although she clearly supports breastfeeding as the evidence-based best practice for infant nutrition, Humphries wonders if nurses’ emphasis on breastfeeding may interfere with the nurse-mother relationship if mothers feel pressured or coerced. AJN’s editor-in-chief, Shawn Kennedy, interviews Humphries about her work and experience with mothers and implications for nurses.
Editor-in-chief, Shawn Kennedy, interviews April Gerlock about her research on documentation of screening veterans with PTSD for intimate partner violence (IPV). She found that only one-quarter of these men – considered a high risk group for IPV – had screening documented. Gerlock also talks about how nurses in any setting can use brief encounters to screen for IPV and provides some suggestions for responding.
Editor-in-chief, Shawn Kennedy, interviews Cindy Nigolian, one of the authors of the second installment in our series on supporting family caregivers. She provides context for her work, and emphasizes the importance of creating an environment conducive to learning, and the use of “teach-backs” to assure the caregiver understands needed concepts.
Drawing upon her own experience when she suddenly found herself in the role of a caregiver and through her work with other family caregivers, Carol Levine became acutely aware that few caregivers really get what they need to prepare them for their roles as caregivers. In this first article in the series, she discusses with AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy how she became involved in working with caregivers and the importance of assessing the caregiver’s needs from the caregiver’s point of view. 
Editor-in-chief, Shawn Kennedy interviews Jeannette Crenshaw about her work exploring the evidence for NOT supporting NPO After Midnight as a routine preoperative practice. She explains that it’s not just about allowing clear fluids because it’s safe, but “because it’s safer.” European physician and nursing societies all endorse recommendations for allowing carbohydrate-rich clear liquids – as well as other clear liquids – two to three hours before surgery, so why does U.S. practice lag behind?
The suicide rate among children and adolescents has steadily risen and many of these children are first seen in hospital EDs. Children’s Hospital Boston has developed a treatment algorithm to facilitate screening, assessment and intervention in the ED. AJN editor in chief Shawn Kennedy and senior editor Sylvia Foley discuss the case that prompted this article with authors Alexis Schmid and Frances Damian, as well as key points about pediatric suicide and what ED nurses need to keep in mind with these troubled children.
Editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy chats with Charles Kaiman, an artist whose work has been featured over the years in AJN. Kaiman is also a psychiatric clinical nurse specialist who works with veterans suffering from PTSD. They discuss his cover painting, “America the Beautiful,” his recollections of 9/11, and how his work and his art balance each other.
A national expert in disaster preparedness education and training, Tener Veenema speaks with AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy about the state of readiness of U.S. nurses to respond to disasters, and what work still needs to be done for the nursing workforce to be prepared.
As a FNP searching for evidence-based information for her female patients and then when seeking information for herself, Karen Roush found few science-based articles about managing osteoporosis. So she researched the literature and wrote about it for consumers, as part of a book on menopause, and now in this review article, which summarizes current evidence-based information on preventing and managing osteoporosis. This is the second article in Roush’s series on postmenopausal women’s health. Editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy discusses the issues with author Roush.
Major Christopher Vanfosson, author of our series, Letters From Afghanistan, which ends with the September 2011 issue. Major Vanfosson’s articles chronicled his year-long deployment to Afghanistan with a forward surgical team. In this interview, he talks about his experience, his homecoming and his current assignment.
Editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy discusses with Dowdell her ground-breaking research on risky Internet behaviors in adolescents and young adults and where it may intersect with the online activity of sexual offenders. The results are concerning and point to areas where safeguards and education are needed.
After investigation into a hepatitis C outbreak in Las Vegas revealed that nurses knew there were poor infection control practices but did nothing for fear of retaliation, the Nevada Nurses Association enlisted Lisa Black to survey Nevada nurses to determine their experiences and workplace attitudes about advocating for patients. AJN’s editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy, along with senior editor Sylvia Foley, discuss the results with Black, including the survey’s use in successful passage of whistleblower protection laws in Nevada.
Although Denmark and the United States have very different health care systems, the nursing issues are remarkably similar. Editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy spoke with Grete Christensen about what the health and nursing issues are.
Editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Masitsela Mhlanga, former president of the Swaziland Nurses Association and the nurse credited with initiating the Swaziland Wellness Center for Health Care Workers. The center (which has now been replicated in other African countries) is credited for stemming the migration of nurses from Swaziland, which, with a prevalence of 26% of the adult population, has the highest prevalence of HIV in the world.
AJN’s editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy interviews these flight nurses about their jobs, their career choices, and issues around providing care in a challenging environment.
Stephen Harvey is an assistant professor of anesthesiology at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville, Tennessee. The poem is in homage to his mother, Betty Harvey, RN (pictured here with the author), who inspired and encouraged him on his journey through college and medical school. Editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy and senior editor Sylvia Foley (who coordinates AJN’s Art of Nursing column) speak with Stephen about his career, his early memories of his mother, and his poetry.
Mary Townsend, ScD, author of the April original research, “Rates of Remission, Improvement, and Progression of Urinary Incontinence in Asian, Black, and White Women”, speaks with AJN’s editor in chief Shawn Kennedy and clinical editor Christine Moffa about her research. Townsend is an instructor at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School.
AJN's editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy caught-up with Mary Stachowiak, president of the fledgling Clinical Nurse Leader Association (CNLA), in Miami on January 21 at the 2011 CNL Summit. They discussed the fairly new role of the CNL and how these "advanced generalists" work alongside clinical nurse specialists and nurse managers.
Through her work in a mental health clinic and trafficked victims she saw there, Donna Sabella became aware that few health care providers recognized the signs that a patient seeking help was a victim of sex or labor trafficking, and if they did, few knew how to proceed in a manner that protected their patients and themselves. Editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy, along with AJN’s Sylvia Foley, discuss the issues with author Sabella, including the growing problem in the United States, and how nurses can help.
Interim editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy interviews Marla Weston, CEO of the American Nurses Association, on the recommendations from the Institute of Medicine’s report, The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health. The interview took place on October 5th, in Washington, DC at the National Press Club, immediately after the press briefing and the release of the report.
Interim editor-in-chief, Shawn Kennedy, speaks with Kelly Vanfossen, wife of Christopher A. Vanfossen, an army nurse and author of our new column, Letters From Afghanistan, about how her husband’s deployment impacts her and their four young children.
Thomas about her qualitative research exploring men’s awareness and knowledge about male breast cancer and implications for nursing practice. Her survey “provides a starting point for the development of evidence-based, gender-specific, health promotion and disease prevention interventions for men.”
Editorial director & interim editor-in-chief, Shawn Kennedy, interviews Patricia Grady, director of the National Institute of Nursing Research, as part of AJN’s coverage of the 25th anniversary of the NINR. Grady discusses with Kennedy the early roots, landmark research that moved the institute forward and drove policy, and current research and its relation to health care today. See Dr. Grady’s guest editorial and the timeline of the history of NINR.
In their work with patients with cystic fibrosis, Lomas and colleague Susan B. Fowler noticed that a few of their patients learned they had the disease only after their children were diagnosed. They decided to survey cystic fibrosis centers to learn more about the number of people with cystic fibrosis who are having children who also have the disease. Interim editor-in-chief, Shawn Kennedy interviews Paula Lomas about her work, the findings of her survey and implications for nurses.
Interview with Sibyl Shalo, BSN, RN, author of June AJN Reports: The War on Tuberculosis, in which she discusses her “ride-along” with the Newark, New Jersey public health department to observe its program to assure adherence to drug therapy.
Editorial director & interim editor-in-chief, Shawn Kennedy, interviews AACN incoming president Kristine Peterson, and outgoing president Beth Hammer at the 2010 NTI.
The recruitment of foreign-educated nurses has greatly expanded in the last decade yet little is known about how the recruitment industry operates. In this interview, interim editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy talks with author Polly Pitman about her research and her conclusions that there is a need for accountability within the industry.
Rapid response teams have been incorporated into the Joint Commission’s national patient safety goals, despite inconclusive evidence about what they achieve. Yet some nurses say they won’t work in hospitals without these teams. Interim editor-in-chief, Shawn Kennedy interviews Susan Shapiro about her article investigating how nurses who activate such teams feel about them and why it matters to their patients and hospitals.
HIV infection is still an epidemic in the United States but there is a sense of complacency that now surrounds it. Interim editor-in-chief, Shawn Kennedy interviews Lyn Stevens, president, and Adele Webb, executive director and CEO of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care, about their article, “Every Nurse is an HIV Nurse” in the March 2010 issue, and why the public – and nurses – cannot afford to be complacent about HIV infection.
Shawn Kennedy, AJN's editorial director & interim editor-in-chief, interviews Patricia Gerrity, PhD, RN, FAAN, associate dean for community programs and director of the Eleventh Street Family Health Services of Drexel University in Philadelphia about the work of the clinic in meeting the needs of the uninsured and underinsured.
At a press conference held January 20 in Washington, DC, editorial director & interim editor-in-chief, Shawn Kennedy, interviews Susan Hassmiller, senior adviser for nursing at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, about the results of a Gallup poll commissioned by the Foundation, to find out what 1,500 opinion leaders think about nurses’ influence in health care decisions.
Editorial director & interim editor-in-chief, Shawn Kennedy, interviews Brenda Cleary, director of the Center to Champion Nursing in America at AARP, about its collaborative work with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and government labor agencies in promoting strategies to increase education capacity of schools to prepare more nurses for the future. AJN will disseminate the work of this collaboration in a series of articles, “Uniting States, Sharing Strategies”, debuting in January 2010 and running through July.
Editorial director & interim editor-in-chief, Shawn Kennedy, interviews Carol Huston, immediate past-president of Sigma Theta Tau International at the association's 40th Biennial Convention in Indianapolis, October 31 to November 4.
