Improving referrals to a fracture liaison service: Screening for osteoporosis.

With the elderly population living longer and 'baby boomer's now reaching the age of 65, there is great concern regarding a lack of diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a well-known problem, yet there continue to be gaps regarding screening and treatment. An orthopaedic practice in the Southeastern United States specializing in bone health has an internal Fracture Liaison Service (FLS) that was not being fully utilized by the providers. A quality improvement project was implemented following the recommended FLS guidelines to identify individuals that should receive referral to the FLS. Chart audits were completed to analyze both pre- and post-implementation phases. An alert button was introduced into the electronic health record to prompt orthopaedic surgeons to refer to the FLS clinic when individuals met the requirements of age and a first-time fragility fracture. Descriptive data showed 5% FLS referrals in 2019. After implementation of the alert button the FLS referrals for 2020 were 19%, providing a 14% overall improvement rate. Evidence supports using standardized screening processes and that referring to an FLS is best practice for improving the treatment of osteoporosis and for decreasing morbidity, mortality, and health care cost.

Academic Support Programs Utilized for Nursing Students at Risk of Academic Failure: A Review of the Literature.

AIM: The purpose of the literature review is to evaluate and discuss the various types of academic support programs used for at-risk nursing students to identify those that are most effective. BACKGROUND: Nurse educators are concerned about students admitted to nursing programs who are unable to successfully complete the program. METHOD: To determine the format and efficacy of academic support programs, the literature review addressed the identification of at-risk students and academic support programs applicable to all student groups. RESULTS: Nurse educators need to develop and implement plans to support and retain students in order to address the impending nursing shortage. CONCLUSION: Replacing a student lost to academic failure is difficult. Although utilized in different manners, academic support programs are an effective retention strategy.