Re-Envisioning a DNP Program for Quality and Sustainability.

When the University of Washington, School of Nursing determined that its post-BSN-DNP degree program, with multiple specialty tracks and programs of study, was not sustainable, the curriculum was re-envisioned. The revised program is consistent with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing Practice and the national Licensure Accreditation, Certification, and Education (LACE) model. The re-envisioned program was conceptualized as a single degree in which students preparing for any specialty would have the same number of required credits with the majority of courses (DNP core) required for all students.

The role of centers in fostering interdisciplinary research.

This article describes the history of the University of Washington School of Nursing (UW-SON) Center for Women's Health and Gender Research (CWHGR) and its role in helping initiate and sustain interdisciplinary research. The growing focus on the need for interdisciplinary research has made it imperative that nursing scientists collaborate with colleagues in other health-related fields including medicine, public health, dentistry, and social work. The CWHGR increased interdisciplinary research activities through mentorship of faculty and trainees, the creation of core laboratory facilities, the award of pilot grant funding focused on interdisciplinary collaboration, consultation on research design and methods both within and outside the UW-SON, and the utilization of the Human Response Model for both biobehavioral and sociocultural research collaboration.

Pre-pregnancy body mass index, gestational weight gain, and other maternal characteristics in relation to infant birth weight.

Objectives: Infant birth weight is influenced by modifiable maternal pre-pregnancy behaviors and characteristics. We evaluated the relationship among pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), gestational weight gain, and infant birth weight, in a prospective cohort study.

Methods: Women were enrolled at < or =20 weeks gestation, completed in-person interviews and had their medical records reviewed after delivery.

The role of social support in facilitating postpartum women's return to employment.

Purpose: More than half of mothers with infants under 1 year are employed. This study explored the role of social support in facilitating women's return to employment during the 1st year postpartum.

Design: Analysis of existing longitudinal, repeated-measures questionnaire data gathered at 4 and 12 months postpartum.

Nurses' health: work and family influences.

Nurses represent the largest group of professional caregivers. Most are also informal caregivers for family members, including children, parents, spouses, and other relatives. The impact of these caregiving roles, individually and in combination, has important implications for the health of nurses.