Body mass index knowledge of older adults and motivation to change.

Worldwide, 1.6 billion adults are overweight and 400 million are obese. For older adults, being in these categories exacerbates multiple chronic diseases and leads to frailty. The aim of this study was to explore the knowledge of older adults in Ireland and the USA about their body mass index (BMI) category and motivation to change. A quantitative descriptive research design was used in the study. Two convenience samples of community-dwelling older adults, one in Ireland (n=70) and one in the USA (n=70) participated in the study. Data was collected in the form of questionnaires and BMI was calculated. This study found that fewer Irish participants knew their BMI category. In both groups, measured BMI differed greatly from self-perceived BMI. These findings suggest that older adults are unaware of their weight status and therefore do not know that they are in a BMI category with multiple health consequences.

An evaluation of lecturer practitioners in Ireland.

Nursing continues to struggle to integrate the theoretical and clinical aspects of nurse education for the development of competent practitioners. Collaborative approaches to nurse education as well as the development of joint clinical-academic roles have had questionable success to date on merging the theoretical and clinical components of nursing. Lecturer practitioners' posts are new in Ireland. These posts were created as nurse educators were cognizant of the need for students to integrate theory to practice. The aim of the lecturer practitioner role was to increase the support for student nurses in both academia and practice. An evaluation of the impact of the lecturer practitioner role from three key perspectives was conducted in three Irish teaching hospitals in 2007. The results of this study suggest that as lecturer practitioners have both a clinical and academic remit they can integrate theory to practice through collaborative practice.

The effectiveness of the lecturer practitioner role in clinical practice: an Irish perspective.

BACKGROUND: Demands within academia such as teaching, publishing, research activity and generating grant income can make it difficult for nurse educators to protect time for clinical practice. In an effort to overcome this problem lecturer practitioner posts have been introduced with designated responsibilities in both clinical and educational settings. METHODS: Using a mixed method descriptive methodology student nurses and registered nurses completed a modified questionnaire to examine the impact of lecturer practitioners (LPs) in clinical practice. Focus groups were also conducted with lecturer practitioners themselves. RESULTS: The results identified that by having a clinical remit, LPs forged good relationships with student nurses and registered nurses in clinical practice, who considered the LP as being a learning resource with realistic expectations of the clinical environment. DISCUSSION: The results provide further evidence to support the continuation of nurse educators in clinical practice for their own development, their students and registered nurses.