Page 3 - School of Nursing Research | University of Rochester

ExamplEs of our rEsEarch programs

IMPROVING PALLIATIVE CARE DELIVERY ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE PREVENTION

When a loved one is facing a life-threatening illness, palliative Everyone knows someone whose life has been touched by
care helps to improve his or her quality of life and relieve Alzheimer’s disease. Although clinical researchers have
suffering by closely attending to pain symptoms and other yet to find a cure, promising inroads are being made in
physical, psychosocial and spiritual issues. Specialists also earlier detection and prevention. Our nurse researchers are
provide essential guidance and support to families during this working with scientists across the University to develop
difficult time. As key members of palliative care teams, our ways that cognitive impairment can be identified and
nurse researchers are leading and collaborating on projects to addressed earlier in adults. They are also developing and
help providers and families in end-of-life decision-making, evaluating interventions—such as computerized games—
and dramatically improve the quality of palliative care. that “exercise” the brain, and may help slow or prevent the
cognitive decline that leads to Alzheimer’s.

INNOVATING TO HELP CHILDREN WITH ASTHMA PARTNERING WITH MOMS AND BABIES
More than seven million children and teens across the What began as a desire to improve the outcomes of
country have persistent asthma, and it remains one of disadvantaged first-time mothers and babies in the 1970s,
the top reasons for school absences, hospitalizations and is today a highly successful, ongoing program of research
early death. Asthma can be managed with corticosteroid that fostered the Nurse Family Partnership program. The
inhalers, but young people need much more support to program now serves more than 23,000 families nationwide.
develop and maintain the vital self-management skills that Nurse researchers continue to evaluate how nurse home visits
will prevent dangerous complications. Among other efforts, in a child’s first two years of life help improve pregnancy
nurse scientists are working with other scientists to develop outcomes, prevent health problems, improve child health
a mobile phone-based device that will help teens stay on a
healthier track with their self-care. They are also exploring and development, and increase economic self-sufficiency. The
ways to lower the high risk of asthma complications in program has also been shown to help prevent child abuse,
urban youth. reduce juvenile crime, and improve school readiness.