Expanding a Foot Care Education Program for Nurses: A Quality Improvement Survey.

Faculty of a foot care continuing education program in the Midwest sought to determine current practice and interest in expanding the current program, both didactic and clinical, to meet expanded requirements in certification criteria. An electronic e-mail survey with both quantitative and qualitative questions was developed and sent to 445 past participants who completed the Foot and Nail Care: Education for Nurses Program hosted by the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Continuing Education over the past 5 years. There were 99 responses for a response rate of 22%.

Evaluation of an innovative late-life depression training program.

Purpose: This paper describes evaluation findings associated with an innovative, CD-based, self-directed training program that was designed to improve general practice nurses' abilities to identify and care for older adults with depression.

Design And Methods: A voluntary sample of nurses completed an evaluation that focused on participants' perceptions of changes in their knowledge and skills and usefulness of the program.

Findings: Quantitative items received high ratings, and narrative responses to open-ended questions were largely positive.

Depression training in nursing homes: lessons learned from a pilot study.

Late-life depression is common among nursing home residents, but often is not addressed by nurses. Using a self-directed CD-based depression training program, this pilot study used mixed methods to assess feasibility issues, determine nurse perceptions of training, and evaluate depression-related outcomes among residents in usual care and training conditions. Of 58 nurses enrolled, 24 completed the training and gave it high ratings.

In the shelter of each other: Respite Care for Students as a partnership model.

Many of today's nursing students live in the margin of society without family support. When this is compounded by demanding family responsibilities, the personal and academic consequences for students can be harsh. Although numerous student retention strategies have been clearly documented, Respite Care for Students is offered as a unique partnership model to sustain these students' enrollment, provide adequate time for their learning, and enhance their graduation rates.

Fire, wind, earth, and water: raising the education threshold through teacher self-awareness.

The ancient Greeks, as well as current writers, prompt us to examine the self as teacher. Seeing the self as a border crosser is used to reveal both the light-side and shadow-side of self, as metaphorically suggested by fire, wind, earth, and water. Only through teacher self-awareness can respect be used to expand our lives as teachers and enrich students' learning and growth.

Oral history: Validating contributions of elders.

Recording memories of World War II is an intervention that can humanize geriatric care in addition to the historical significance provided. Participants in this oral history project described memories of World War II and expressed themes of patriotism, loss, tense moments, makeshift living, self-sufficiency, and uncertain journey. Their ethnic roots were primarily Scandinavian, Dutch, German, and English.