The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing
Vol. 40 No. 12 December 2009
By Susan M. Lee, PhD, RN; Edward E. Coakley, MS, MEd, MA, RN; Constance Dahlin, ANP, BC, ACHPN, FPCN; Penny Ford Carleton, MS, MPA, MSc, RN
ABSTRACT
As U.S. baby boomers age and the older population doubles by 2030, unprecedented numbers of older adults will need and benefit from nursing care that is evidence-based and tailored to their needs and preferences. To address this need, Massachusetts General Hospital developed the RN Residency: Transitioning to Geriatrics and Palliative Care program. Guided by two national curricula, the RN Residency program was designed to expand the disease model of geriatrics to a functional, emotional, and social perspective of aging, in which palliative care is an integral component. This article describes the RN Residency program, which was designed to improve the effectiveness of nursing assessment, interventions, and outcomes for older adults and their families.
J Contin Educ Nurs 2009;40(12):536-542.
AUTHORS
Dr. Lee is Nurse Scientist, Yvonne L. Munn Center for Nursing Research; Mr. Coakley is Director Emeritus, Center for Innovations in Care Delivery; and Ms. Dahlin is Clinical Director, Palliative Care Service, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts. Ms. Ford Carleton is Program Leader, Clinical Systems Innovation, Center for the Integration of Medicine and Innovative Technology; and Research Associate, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
The authors disclose that they have no significant financial interests in any product or class of products discussed directly or indirectly in this activity. This project is supported by funds from the Division of Nursing (DN), Bureau of Health Professions (BHPr), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) under D11HP08359, Nurse Education, Practice, and Retention. The information or content and conclusions are those of the authors and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any official endorsement be inferred by the DN, BHPr, HRSA, DHHS, or U.S. Government.
The authors thank Jeanette Ives Erickson, RN, MS, FAAN, Senior Vice President for Patient Care and Chief Nurse; Debra Burke, RN, MS, Associate Chief Nurse; and Gaurdia L. Banister, PhD, RN, Executive Director of the Institute for Patient Care, for their support in the creation and implementation of the RN Residency: Transitioning to Geriatrics and Palliative Care.
Address correspondence to Susan M. Lee, PhD, RN, Yvonne L. Munn Center for Nursing Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, 275 Cambridge Street, 4th Floor, Boston, MA 02114-2698.
doi:10.3928/00220124-20091119-01
