Memphis, TN – Early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease has been shown to reduce cost and improve patient outcomes, but current diagnostic approaches can be invasive and costly. A recent study, published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, has found a novel way to identify a high potential for developing Alzheimer’s disease before symptoms occur. Ray Romano, PhD, RN, completed the research as part of his PhD in the Nursing Science Program at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) College of Graduate Health Sciences.

The five-year, $3.13 million grant will deploy social-assistive robots at Ohio Living Westminster-Thurber and Chapel Hill Community in Canal Fulton near Canton for an eight-week trial. The study is aimed at curbing loneliness and apathy in older adults, especially for those with dementia.

Kathy Wright saw the ravages of Alzheimer's disease and hypertension when she served as a caregiver for her father, who dealt with those devastating illnesses. In her role as an assistant professor in the College of Nursing, she also knows these health problems hit the African American community particularly hard.

The National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Nursing Research (NIH/NINR) has awarded a four-year, $1.6 million R01 grant to fund the study, “Reducing Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Black Young Adults.” The grant was awarded to Janna Stephens, PhD, RN, (PI) assistant professor at The Ohio State University College of Nursing’s Martha S. Pitzer Center for Women, Children and Youth. Co-investigators from Ohio State include Bernadette Melnyk, PhD, APRN-CNP, EBP-C, FAANP, FNAP, FAAN, and Alai Tan, PhD, of the College of Nursing and Carla Miller, PhD, of the College of Public Health.

When researchers asked prospective study participants who they would like to see in videos promoting healthy lifestyle behaviors, the answer was unequivocal: They wanted to see themselves – that is, other mothers living in low-income households who were overweight or obese.

Drs. Mary Beth Happ and Judy Tate discuss evidence-based tips and techniques for communicating with mechanically ventilated patients with COVID-19. Mary Beth and Judy are members of the Patient Provider Communication Forum COVID-19 Task Force, a multidisciplinary group of nurses and speech language pathologists with expertise in communication science.

Microwave ovens produce radio-frequency waves that cause the water molecules in an object to vibrate. This vibration causes friction, which allows the object to heat up to a temperature that can kill germs.

That's why microwaves are sometimes used to disinfect items such as a household sponge, as they are a hotbed for viruses and bacteria.

However, research has found mixed results on whether a microwave can effectively kill germs on a sponge, or even in food. Here's what you need to know.

College ranks #16 among all nursing colleges, #9 among public institutions

The Ohio State University College of Nursing has strengthened its standing as a top earner of grant funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research’s new review of NIH grant awards ranks the College of Nursing at #16 overall and #9 among public institutions, with approximately $4.3 million in NIH research funding.

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) awarded Marliese Nist, MS, RNC, with its 2019-2020 Excellence in Advancing Nursing Science Award. The award recognizes an outstanding dissertation from a student in a PhD in nursing or DNS program.