Category: Caregiving

College of Nursing Faculty Part of $3.5 Million Research Grant

College of Nursing faculty member Joel G. Anderson and colleagues have been granted a research award totaling over $3.5 million from the National Institute on Aging. The grant is a testament to the team’s groundbreaking work and commitment to advancing research in the field of caregiving for people living with dementia.

Anderson, an associate professor known for his exceptional contributions to caregiver support in dementia care, has demonstrated a profound dedication to advancing knowledge in his field. This recent grant award recognizes his leadership and expertise in the pursuit of meaningful research that addresses critical challenges faced by society.

The project, titled “Enhancing Measurement and Characterization of Roles and Experiences of Sexual and Gender Minority Caregivers of Persons living with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias,” is set to span a five-year period. In collaboration with co-principal investigators Jason Flatt from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas and Maritza Dowling from George Washington University, Anderson and his team will embark on a comprehensive study to understand the experiences, roles, and dynamics of LGBTQIA+ caregivers of people living with dementia.

“We still don’t know a lot about the experiences of LGBTQIA+ caregivers of people living with dementia, so existing measures are unlikely to be sensitive to their unique needs and experiences,” said Anderson. “Some of the critical gaps we aim to address with this study are how current definitions of families can be broadened to better reflect changes to family structures, how different relationship types affect caregiving dynamics, how caregiving and gender roles affect the type of care provided, and how discrimination may represent a barrier for LGBTQIA+ caregivers toward seeking the help and support the need.”

The project aims to identify existing domains and develop new measures that accurately capture caregiving constructs and experiences of LGBTQIA+ caregivers. By testing and validating, the team will ensure these measures are inclusive and effective in portraying the unique challenges and experiences faced by LGBTQIA+ caregivers in the context of dementia care.

Individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, and/or other identities remain underrepresented in dementia caregiving research. Estimates suggest that nearly 1 million LGBTQIA+ adults in the U.S. are caregivers, with nearly half providing care to someone living with dementia. Previous research conducted by the team highlighted health disparities experienced by LGBTQIA+ caregivers, such as caregiver stigma, depressive symptoms, and discrimination, necessitating an inclusive approach to caregiving research. The proposed study, guided by a community-based participatory approach, will leverage the expertise of advisory boards and caregiving experts to identify and explore domains of caregiving for LGBTQIA+ caregivers, develop and refine new measures, and test these measures among a diverse sample of caregivers.

Research reported in this press release was supported by the National Institute on Aging of the National Institutes of Health under award number 1R01AG083177-01. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

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CONTACT:

Kara Clark (865-9749498, [email protected])

Nursing Students Participate in Clinical Opportunities through eTHRIVE

Nursing Students Participate in Clinical Opportunities through eTHRIVE
Empowering and Transforming public Health nursing education and practice for Rural underserved areas to Improve care using Virtual-based simulation and Experiential strategies dubbed eTHRIVE was granted by the Health Resources and Services Administration in the summer of 2021. The goal of the grant was to strengthen and retain the public health nursing workforce in rural Appalachia through a collaborative community-academic partnership with Remote Area Medical (RAM). Over the past two years, 112 RN to BSN students have had the opportunity to participate in synchronous clinical opportunities to experience public health nursing through the eTHRIVE grant. The third cohort completed their synchronous clinical experiences through their Population Health Course.

Remote Area Medical Clinic

Eight RN to BSN students at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville participated in a RAM clinic.
The college partnered with RAM, to accomplish the goals of the eTHRIVE project. RAM is a major nonprofit organization whose mission is to prevent pain and alleviate suffering by providing free, quality healthcare to those in need.
The students had the opportunity to demonstrate their public health nursing skills with community members in the Knoxville area. The students worked in triage and assessed community members prior to receiving medical, dental, or vision services.
“I had the best experience at the RAM clinic,” said one student. “Not only does RAM provide access to care. Their one more patient mantra is at the heart of every volunteer. I was not only impressed by the wide range of services RAM offered, but the incredible level of dignity and respect they showed to every person was truly special.”
The Knoxville RAM clinic served over 800 community members during the three-day clinic held at the Knox Co Fair Grounds.

RAM Telehealth

Another RN to BSN students chose to participate in clinical opportunities through RAM Telehealth. The telehealth model is site-based at Knoxville Area Rescue Ministries (KARM). RAM Telehealth offers telehealth visits for KARM guests every Monday and Wednesday afternoon.
A nurse is present with the guest while the provider participates from several states across the country. This model allows the nurse to provide hands-on care and assessment in conjunction with interdisciplinary communication and plan of care development with the provider.
“Telehealth was not a form of nursing I had been exposed to,” said an eTHRIVE student. “Seeing the nuisance of this type of care and how our relationship with technology has been combined with healthcare was interesting. I could see their assessment style in this environment and even explored a digital stethoscope and camera utilized to allow a physician to join the assessment remotely.”
Students were able to use some of the telehealth tools, such as a digital stethoscope and otoscope that were purchased for RAM through the eTHRIVE grant to enhance the quality of assessment and care.

Virtual Simulation

The final opportunity allowed students to participate virtually with the simulation team at the college. Twenty-three students interacted with two live standardized patients in the community setting.
“I felt like I learned a great deal about things that I normally wouldn’t deal with as an ER nurse,” said one student.
Each scenario was followed by rich debriefing highlighting the importance of consideration of social determinants.
“On behalf of the entire eTHRIVE team, we wish to express our sincere appreciation to Remote Area Medical, the UT simulation team, and Dr. Green-Laughlin for the incredible support and involvement in this rich learning opportunity for the RN-BSN students” said Lisa Davenport, eTHRIVE Project Director.

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CONTACT:
Kara Clark Cardwell (865-974-9498, [email protected])

Speaking Up for the Speechless

By Kathleen Christie Photography by Shawn Poynter

“Where does it hurt?”

Such a simple question. Yet many of us struggle to precisely verbalize a description or the extent of our pain. Now imagine how difficult it would be if you had no voice to communicate. Continue reading “Speaking Up for the Speechless”