The Intersection of Age and HIV Status for Black Sexual Minority Men (BSMM): A Social Network Analysis.

Advancements in treatment have resulted in increased life expectancy for individuals living with HIV. However, there is a dearth of literature focused on the intersection of age and HIV status, particularly for older Black sexual minority men (SMM) who are disproportionately impacted by HIV. This study aimed to examine the intersecting effect of age and HIV status on Black SMM social networks in a sample from the Social Network and Prevention Study. Participants were 18 years of age or older, identified as cis-gender Black or African American, self-identified as SMM, reported unprotected sex within the past six months, and resided in Baltimore city or a surrounding county. The sample was divided into four categories by age (e.g., young, mature) and HIV status (e.g., positive, negative). Of the sample, 167 men were (a) Young & HIV negative, 116 men were (b) Young & HIV positive, 44 men were (c) Mature & HIV negative, and 42 men were (d) Mature & HIV positive. Among the four groups, mature men who were HIV positive had the fewest average number of alters who knew they were SMM. There was also overlap in the range of age of sexual partners across the four groups, ranging from 17 to 53.5 (Group 1), 20-60 (Group 2), 29.5-60 (Group 3), and 23-63 (Group 4) years of age. Although a cross-sectional analysis, our findings suggest value in life course-informed research and practice for providing HIV and sexual health programming. Focus on services provided by community organizations may help mitigate existing disparities.

Transgender and Gender Diverse Community Connection, Help-Seeking, and Mental Health Among Black Transgender Women Who Have Survived Violence: A Mixed-Methods Analysis.

Black transgender women are disproportionately affected by violence and poor care-delivery, contributing to poor mental health. Little is known regarding the effect of transgender and gender diverse (TGD) community connection (TCC) on health. This analysis (a) explores relationships between TCC, polyvictimization, and mental health and (b) analyzes how TCC influenced help-seeking following violent experiences among Black transgender women. Mixed-methods data from 19 Black transgender women were analyzed using correlational and thematic content analyses. Findings suggest that TCC is associated with improved help-seeking and mental health among Black transgender women, highlighting a need for longitudinal research to identify approaches for leveraging TCC.

Evolution of the adult/gerontological APRN and GAPNA: The fourth decade, 2011-2021.

The 40th anniversary gemstone is traditionally a ruby - the stone of kings and queens. The Latin derivative is "ruber" which means red (the deep color of the stone). Rubies are thought to have an eternal inner flame or fire that in many global cultures symbolizes nobility, purity, and passion. The ruby is believed to promote health and knowledge as well as love and compassion. It has also been connected to improved energy, creativity, motivation, and goal setting. Does this sound like the GAPNA mission, vision, goals, and experience you know? A gathering of inspired and dedicated gerontological nurses founded this organization in 1981 and it has been growing stronger and burning brighter with recognized influence every year. This article highlights the last decade of work and accomplishments that have occurred from the passion of individuals working with older adults. GAPNA has forged ahead as visionary leaders in the care of older adults; creative in approaches to meeting the needs through certification and leadership opportunities. Health policy is a dedicated advocacy focus for advanced practice nursing and older adults, making the world a better place for aging and quality health care access and equity. This article will remind you or acquaint you with some of the accomplishments in the last decade. The authors hope the outcome of reading the article will delight you, but also motivate you to become actively engaged with the organization in the next years as GAPNA heads toward becoming golden.

Assessment of the Impact of an Endpoint Committee in the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study.

PURPOSE: To assess the impact of a masked Endpoint Committee on estimates of the incidence of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) treatment efficacy and statistical power of the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study-Phase 1, 1994-2002 (OHTS-1). DESIGN: Retrospective interrater reliability analysis of endpoint attribution by the Endpoint Committee. METHODS: After study closeout, we recalculated estimates of endpoint incidence, treatment efficacy, and statistical power using all-cause endpoints and POAG endpoints. To avoid bias, only the first endpoint per participant is included in this report. RESULTS: The Endpoint Committee reviewed 267 first endpoints from 1636 participants. The Endpoint Committee attributed 58% (155 of 267) of the endpoints to POAG. The incidence of all-cause endpoints vs POAG endpoints was 19.5% and 13.2%, respectively, in the observation group and 13.1% and 5.8%, respectively, in the medication group. Treatment effect for all-cause endpoints was a 33% reduction in risk (relative risk = 0.67, 95% confidence interval [CI] of 0.54-0.84) and a 56% reduction in risk for POAG endpoints (relative risk = 0.44, 95% CI of 0.31-0.61). Post hoc statistical power for detecting treatment effect was 0.94 for all-cause endpoints and 0.99 for POAG endpoints. CONCLUSION: Endpoint Committee adjudication of endpoints improved POAG incidence estimates, increased statistical power, and increased calculated treatment effect by 23%. An Endpoint Committee should be considered in therapeutic trials when common ocular and systemic comorbidities, other than the target condition, could compromise study results.

Evaluating an Educational Module on Home Inotrope Therapy.

Educating home health nurses presents significant challenges for nurse educators because of the vast geographical areas served and the types of patient cared for. The integration of technology into the home health care arena offers new and innovative opportunities to address the ongoing educational needs of nurses as required by accrediting bodies. This exploratory study evaluated a Web-based educational module on home inotrope therapy in regard to nurses' perceived knowledge and confidence.

Applying STAAR interventions in incremental bundles: improving post-CABG surgical patient care.

BACKGROUND: Rehospitalization within 30 days of discharge after coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) is a contributing factor to higher-than-acceptable overall hospital readmission rates throughout the United States. CABG rehospitalizations are of such concern that they are specifically targeted for action in 2015 under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (2010). The phenomenon of increasing readmission rates has prompted the Institute for Healthcare Improvement to devise the Triple Aim initiative and the STate Action on Avoidable Rehospitalizations (STAAR) initiative to reduce 30-day readmission rates nationally. AIMS: This study explored the impact of implementing STAAR interventions delivered as part of a quality improvement project in incremental bundles on 30-day readmission rates and the experience of care in CABG patients. Specifically, the use of the teach-back patient education method and the scheduling of follow-up cardiology appointments prior to discharge using existing staff were examined. METHODS: A quantitative comparative study was conducted with 189 post-CABG patients at a tertiary care facility in the United States over a 2-year period, comparing outcomes between the group of patients prior to implementation of the STAAR interventions and those who later received them. Outcome variables included 30-day readmission rate and patient perception of experience of care. RESULTS: The overall 30-day readmission rate for CABG patients in the postintervention group was decreased to 12.0%, compared to 25.8% in the preintervention group. Of the demographic and health characteristics explored, only chronic lung disease was significantly related to 30-day readmission rates, and only in the postintervention group. LINKING EVIDENCE TO ACTION: Thirty-day readmission rates among CABG patients can be reduced and the experience of care can be enhanced through the use of targeted interventions utilizing existing staff and resources. The deliberate incremental implementation of bundled initiatives is an effective strategy in reducing 30-day readmissions in post-CABG patients.

Exploring early and future use of DNP prepared nurses within healthcare organizations.

A strategy to gather data on DNP utilization and impact was designed using Donabedian's conceptual model and was piloted by surveying chief nursing officers (CNOs) leading Michigan's public and teaching hospital systems. Few of the responding CNOs reported currently employing DNP-prepared nurses. The majority reported gaps in knowledge related to role expectations and projected outcomes from a DNP-prepared nurse. Nurse leaders should become familiar with the role competencies of the DNP in order to maximize the potential contribution of this new level of care provider to improving care quality and access.

An interprofessional process to improve early identification and treatment for sepsis.

The course of sepsis is rapid. Patient outcomes improve when sepsis is diagnosed and treated quickly. The clinical goals of the evidence-based bundled strategies from the International consortium Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC) include optimizing timeliness in the delivery of care and creating a continuum for sepsis management that runs from the emergency department (ED) to the acute and critical care settings. Successful implementation of processes that integrate sepsis bundles can improve patient mortality and hospital costs. Improving interprofessional education and collaboration are necessary to facilitate the effective use of bundled strategies. An intervention that included interprofessional education resulted in a statistically significant difference between the three phases studied. There was a statistically significant improvement between the phases for lactate completion X(2) = 16.908 (p < .01) after education. Frequency of blood cultures being obtained before antibiotic administration was nearing statistical significance (p < .054). There was an improvement in time to antibiotic administration between phase 2 (182.09 mean average minutes, SD = 234.06) and phase 3 (91.62 mean average minutes, SD = 167.99).

Relationship of workplace incivility, stress, and burnout on nurses' turnover intentions and psychological empowerment.

This study explored the relationships among perceived workplace incivility, stress, burnout, perceived turnover intentions, and perceived level of psychological empowerment among acute care nurses (medical-surgical and critical care) in community and tertiary hospitals through the lens of complexity science. An exploratory study was conducted, and findings demonstrate significant relationships among workplace incivility, stress, burnout, turnover intentions, total years of nursing experience, and RN education levels. Creating targeted retention strategies and policies that will be sensitive to the needs and interests of nurses at high risk for leaving their organizations is imperative for nurse executives.