The Intersections of Structural Racism and Ageism in the Time of COVID-19: A Call to Action for Gerontological Nursing Science.

The health consequences of systemic racism and ageism have received growing attention as the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has illuminated long-standing inadequacies and injustices that are structurally engrained in our health systems. The current State of the Science Commentary addresses the intersecting influences of systemic racism and ageism, and other "-isms" that conspire to create disparate health outcomes for older adults from historically excluded and marginalized backgrounds. We focus specifically on the long-term care sector as a representative microcosm of structural inequities, while recognizing that these unjust barriers to health are widespread, endemic, and pervasive. We present a call to action for gerontological nursing science to engage deeply and robustly in these realities, and the ethical and scientific imperative they present to ensure that all older adults encounter just conditions for maximizing their health and well-being. [Research in Gerontological Nursing, 15(1), 6-13.].

American Academy of Nursing Expert Panel consensus statement on nursing's roles in ensuring universal palliative care access.

The purpose of this consensus paper was to convene leaders and scholars from eight Expert Panels of the American Academy of Nursing and provide recommendations to advance nursing's roles and responsibility to ensure universal access to palliative care. Part I of this consensus paper herein provides the rationale and background to support the policy, education, research, and clinical practice recommendations put forward in Part II. On behalf of the Academy, the evidence-based recommendations will guide nurses, policy makers, government representatives, professional associations, and interdisciplinary and community partners to integrate palliative nursing services across health and social care settings. The consensus paper's 43 authors represent eight countries (Australia, Canada, England, Kenya, Lebanon, Liberia, South Africa, United States of America) and extensive international health experience, thus providing a global context for the subject matter. The authors recommend greater investments in palliative nursing education and nurse-led research, nurse engagement in policy making, enhanced intersectoral partnerships with nursing, and an increased profile and visibility of palliative nurses worldwide. By enacting these recommendations, nurses working in all settings can assume leading roles in delivering high-quality palliative care globally, particularly for minoritized, marginalized, and other at-risk populations.

A Call to the CMS: Mandate Adequate Professional Nurse Staffing in Nursing Homes.

Editor's note: This article is by 22 nursing gerontology experts who are all advocates of nursing home reform. They are listed at the end of this article.