(INDIANAPOLIS) The Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International today announced it is accepting applications to the first national Geriatric Nursing Leadership Academy. The academy will develop the leadership skills of nurses at key health care institutions to improve care of older adults across the United States.

Geriatric nursing leadership is critical as older adults consume the majority of the nation’s health care services. Geriatric patients use 50 percent of all hospital and nursing care, more than 80 percent of home care services and occupy 90 percent of all nursing home beds in the United States, according to the National Center for Health Statistics (2004). These numbers will rise as baby boomers age and place greater demands on health care providers.

“The honor society recognizes that geriatric care is a key and growing requirement in nursing as baby boomers reach their 60s and beyond,” said honor society Chief Executive Officer Patricia Thompson, RN, EdD, FAAN. “We are extremely pleased and thankful to the John A. Hartford Foundation to include geriatric nursing among the honor society’s demonstrated leadership development programs.”

“Nurses are pivotal to the delivery of quality care to geriatric patients,” said Mary Rita Hurley, RN, MPA, honor society International Leadership Institute director. “Yet many nurses do not have the necessary skills to lead in geriatric clinical settings. The Geriatric Nursing Leadership Academy will build geriatric nurse leadership capacity in health care settings serving older adults across the United States.”

The honor society is collaborating with the John A. Hartford Centers of Geriatric Nursing Excellence located across the United States to implement the Geriatric Nursing Leadership Academy. With a $1.6 million grant from The John A. Hartford Foundation to Sigma Theta Tau International Foundation for Nursing, the honor society and The Hartford Centers of Geriatric Nursing Excellence over the next three and a half years will implement two academy classes that will prepare nurses to:

• Create and effectively lead interprofessional teams to improve geriatric health care practice outcomes
• Influence geriatric health care practices within a variety of settings
• Improve geriatric health outcomes through leadership and enactment of evidence-based care
• Disseminate “lessons learned” in leadership development to improve health care and care of older adults

The grant from the John A. Hartford Foundation also allows the honor society to form a national network of leadership mentors to prepare a pipeline of change agents focused on improving health of older adults and to disseminate geriatric leadership and scholarship resources for nurses.

“Once again, the John A. Hartford Foundation has stepped forward and demonstrated its commitment to improving the care of older Americans, highlighting the essential role of nursing leadership in achieving this national priority,” said Joanne Disch, RN, PhD, board chair of AARP and member of the distinguished advisory committee that developed the academy. “Partnering Sigma Theta Tau International with the five John A. Hartford Centers of Geriatric Nursing Excellence guarantees this Geriatric Nursing Leadership Academy will produce stellar nursing leaders fully equipped to transform geriatric care.”

During the academy, participants work with mentors to develop a project that cultivates the participant’s leadership competency and skills. Additionally, faculty from an established clinical or academic geriatric center oversees each participant’s project. Over 18 months, each academy class provides:

• A four-day leadership workshop for mentors and mentees
• Monthly online learning activities and discussion groups
• Two, one-day facilitated site visits by the faculty facilitator with the participant, mentor and their project team
• A three- or four-day project implementation and evaluation workshop
• Project presentation at the honor society’s biennial convention in 2011.

Nurses are eligible to apply for the academy if they have a Bachelor of Science or higher degree in nursing, have demonstrated knowledge and competence in geriatric nursing and are working in settings providing care to older adults. The deadline for applications is April 11, 2008. For an application and more information about the Geriatric Nursing Leadership Academy, please go to www.nursingsociety.org/LeadershipInstitute/GeriatricAcademy.

The academy is one of several leadership programs offered by the honor society’s International Leadership Institute, which develops the leadership skills of nurses. Special programs are offered for maternal-child health, board management, mentoring and geriatrics. The Geriatric Nursing Leadership Academy is based on the successful Maternal-Child Health Leadership Academy the honor society has conducted for more than five years with support from Johnson Johnson.

Geriatric Nursing Leadership Academy Faculty

Claudia Beverly, RN, PhD, FAAN, director, Hartford Center of Geriatric Nursing Excellence, University of Arkansas Medical Science College of Nursing
Kathleen G. Burke, RN, PhD, director, Center for Professional Development, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, representing Neville Strumpf, RN, PhD, C, FAAN at the John A. Hartford Center of Geriatric Nursing Excellence at University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing
Deborah Cleeter, MSN, EdD, Cleeter Consulting, LLC
Mary Rita Hurley, RN, MPA, director of the International Leadership Institute, Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International (program director)
Meridean L. Maas, RN, PhD, FAAN, represents Kathleen Buckwalter, RN, PhD, FAAN, The Sally Mathis Hartwig Professor in Gerontologic Nursing Research; principal investigator and director, John A. Hartford Center of Geriatric Nursing Excellence, University of Iowa College of Nursing
Liz Macera, RN, PhD, NP, represents Margaret Wallhagen, APRN, PhD, BC, GNP, AGSF, co-director, Gerontological Nursing Program, University of California, San Francisco
Kathy Wodicka, RN, BSN, knowledge center manager, Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International
Heather M. Young, GNP, PhD, FAAN, Grace Phelps Distinguished Professor, director, John A. Hartford Center of Geriatric Nursing Excellence; director, Rural Health Research Development, Oregon Health and Science University School of Nursing

Geriatric Nursing Leadership Academy Advisory Committee

Jennie Chin Hansen, RN, MSN, FAAN, AARP
Rita K. Chow, RN, EdD, director, National Interfaith Coalition on Aging, National Council on Aging
Eric Coleman, MD, MPH, associate professor, Health Care Policy and Research, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center
Joanne Disch, RN, PhD, board chair, AARP; clinical professor and director, Katharine J. Densford International Center for Nursing Leadership, University of Minnesota School of Nursing
Sherrie Dornberger, RN, president, National Association Directors of Nursing Administration/Long Term Care
J. Taylor Harden, RN, PhD, FAAN, assistant to the director for special populations, National Institutes of Health
Mary Jane Koren, MD, MPH, The Commonwealth Fund
Pat Kappas Larson, RN, MPH, APRN, BCBSN, senior vice president, professional development, Evercare
Susan Reinhard, RN, PhD, FAAN, director, AARP Public Policy Institute
Robyn I. Stone, Dr, PH, senior vice president of research, American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging
Pamela A. Thompson, RN, MS, FAAN, chief executive officer, American Organization of Nurse Executives

-30-

The Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to improve the health of people worldwide through leadership and scholarship in practice, education and research. Founded in 1922, the Honor Society of Nursing has inducted more than 400,000 members in 114 countries. Members include practicing nurses, instructors, researchers, policymakers, entrepreneurs and others. The honor society's 463 chapters are located at 571 institutions of higher education throughout Australia, Botswana, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Ghana, Hong Kong, Japan, Kenya, Malawi, Mexico, The Netherlands, Pakistan, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Swaziland, Sweden, Taiwan, Tanzania, the United States and Wales. More information about the honor society can be found online at www.nursingsociety.org.

Founded in 1929, the John A. Hartford Foundation is a committed champion of training, research and service system innovations that promote the health and independence of America’s older adults. Through its grantmaking, the Foundation seeks to strengthen the nation’s capacity to provide effective, affordable care to this rapidly increasing older population by educating “aging-prepared” health professionals (physicians, nurses, social workers), and developing innovations that improve and better integrate health and supportive services. The Foundation was established by John A. Hartford. Mr. Hartford and his brother, George L. Hartford, both former chief executives of the Great Atlantic Pacific Tea Company, left the bulk of their estates to the Foundation upon their deaths in the 1950s. Additional information about the Foundation and it programs is available at www.jhartfound.org.