A Multilingual Integrative Review of Health Literacy in Former Soviet Union, Russian-Speaking Immigrants.

Large diasporas of former Soviet Union (FSU) immigrants are found in the USA, Germany, and Israel. To synthesize evidence, identify limitations, and propose future directions we conducted an integrative review on the health literacy of FSU immigrants, migrants, or refugees in four languages. Following integrative review and PRISMA guidelines, we searched four databases in English and performed supplementary searches in Russian, German, and Hebrew to identify qualitative and quantitative studies on FSU immigrants and health literacy. Six articles met inclusion criteria in English and one in German; the majority were published in the last five years. Only two articles measured health literacy of FSU immigrants, which was lower than the general population. Four articles were about immigrants with a mean age ≥50 years. All articles stressed the value of translated, culturally relevant health information. The health literacy of FSU immigrants is understudied, despite clear needs. Future research should include assessments of FSU immigrants' health literacy and include diverse (e.g., age, gender) yet well-defined populations to determine both barriers and facilitators to their health literacy. This review, an example of a multilingual search, provided a comprehensive understanding of existing literature and is a useful approach for global health literacy research.

Accelerating Progress in Seamless Academic Progression.

INTRODUCTION: The Institute of Medicine Future of Nursing (2011) report recommended nurses achieve higher levels of education and training through an improved education system that promotes seamless academic progression. The report cited evidence that a higher proportion of BSN prepared RNs in the workforce improves patient outcomes. METHODS: An extensive network of funding and grassroots support from Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and AARP Foundation generated a host of activities to advance progress in this recommendation. Community colleges and universities strengthened strategic partnerships and developed tools to address identified challenges. The community colleges and universities testing academic progression models developed a new model with the potential to accelerate progress by providing community college RN students an option to exit with a BSN (Gerardi, 2017). Building on these successes and using a projection tool (Spetz, 2018), this paper illustrates recommended next steps. Implementing the proposed changes would accelerate progress to 83.9% RNs in the workforce with BSN or higher preparation by 2025 rather than the predicted 64% at the current rate of progress. RECOMMENDATIONS/CONCLUSIONS: Accelerating progress to meet national academic progression goals will require targeted support for increased education capacity at community colleges and universities. Addressing faculty shortages, increased student and faculty diversity, and economic drivers will be essential for success. The strategic action proposal described in this paper can be the essential next step to accelerate progress in this important work.

Nurses leading change to advance health.

BACKGROUND: The article includes a review of selected past and current leadership initiatives as well as a summary of three leadership meetings convened by The Center to Champion Nursing in America, a partnership of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), AARP and the AARP Foundation. PURPOSE: These "Leadership in Action" meetings were designed to address the Campaign for Action's (CFA) goal to increase the number of nurse leaders in health- and health care-related boardrooms at the local, state and national levels. METHODS: RWJF supported key nursing organizations in initial discussions around integrating state and national efforts to get more nurses onto boards leading to a active vibrant coalition making significant progress. CONCLUSION: This article concludes with a call to action encouraging all nurses to consider board service as an essential component of improving health and health care and to do their part to help build a Culture of Health in the United States.

Adoption of an algorithm and client pathway for the aged and disabled: training implications for the health and human service sectors.

OBJECTIVES: This paper reports on a state agency's training activities undertaken to totally redesign a long-term-care (LTC) delivery system as part of the national Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) initiative. METHOD: Through the development of an ADRC algorithm and the implementation of a corresponding client pathway, NJ DACS, a division of aging, aligned 14 separate core functions necessary for lifespan services. A Training Academy facilitated the adoption of five new health service delivery products and processes by state and county health and human services personnel. RESULTS: Intensive training activities resulted in the algorithm and client pathway framework being successfully disseminated in all 21 counties within a short timeframe. Barriers to training were reduced and acceptance of new protocols and processes were facilitated leading to rapid adoption. Implications for training of health and human service personnel are presented. Full adoption of the complete ADRC model across the state was directly linked to agency software integration. CONCLUSIONS: Promoting standardized service delivery for the aging population through the use of an algorithm and parallel client pathway is feasible as a training model for health care service delivery.