U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SER

National Institutes of Health

Changing Practice, Changing Lives:

10 Landmark Nursing Research

Studies
Introduction

Nursing research gained a significant place in our Nation’s

science and health care enterprise with the founding of the

National Center for Nursing Research (NCNR) on the camp

of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 1986. NCNR 

to address the pressing research needs for nursing at that tim

and by 1994 it became the National Institute of Nursing Res

(NINR). The year 2006 marked the Institute’s twentieth ann

sary at NIH. This booklet presents ten landmark research stu

that NINR has supported during its history. These studies he

establish the foundation of NINR’s work and illustrate the v

expertise of nurse researchers. They span issues that continu

be of great importance to nurses, such as symptom managem

preventive health measures, health disparities, and the value 

nursing care.

Since its beginning, the strength of NINR has been the talente

dedicated nurse researchers who have helped to build and deve

nursing science. These studies demonstrate the versatility and 

of the nursing research community, attributes that have been i

to nursing research since its early years and that nurse research

continue to pursue. As we have looked back on our landmark s

we can see these attributes contribute to enhancing, informing

guiding the biomedical and health care research mission of NI

Changing Practice, Changing Lives: 10 Landmark Nursing Research Studies 

CHANGING PRACTICE, CHANGING LIVES:

TEN LANDMARK NURSING RESEARCH STU
Our health care system will face new and significant challenges as 

the 21st century progresses and our population continues to grow,

age, and become more diverse. Many diseases that were once acute

and life-threatening, such as heart disease, diabetes, and HIV, 

are now long-term chronic conditions. New global health threats

continue to emerge. The examples presented in this booklet show 

that the research supported by NINR has been vital to addressing 

the wide-ranging and ongoing health needs of our nation. It is our

sincerest hope that the foundation of solid science that NINR has

built over the past 20 years will help nurse researchers meet new 

challenges in health care in the years to come. Our ultimate goal is 

to improve the health and well-being of all Americans.

Patricia A. Grady, PhD, RN, FAAN

Director, National Institute of Nursing Research

2 National Institute of Nursing Research
The U.S. is experiencing a shortage of registered nurses (RNs).

This shortage has been especially felt in hospitals, where over half

of all nurses work. A survey in 2004 found the average vacancy 

rate for RN positions was over 16%. Over the next decade, as the

population of the U.S. ages, many in the “baby boomer” generation

will enter retirement. This is expected to generate a surge in health

care needs due to the effects of aging and chronic illness. By the

year 2020, the demand for nurses is projected to exceed the supply

by 20%. However, the link between availability of RNs and the 

outcomes of hospitalized patients has not been well publicized or

understood.

Summary of Research

Dr. Linda Aiken, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania and

Director of the NINR Center for Health Outcomes and Policy

Research, has conducted several studies that examined the impact 

of nursing within the health care system. In looking at “Magnet” 

hospitals (hospitals known for their success in attracting and retaining

nurses) and AIDS care units, she consistently found that higher nurse

staffing levels were related to lower patient mortality and increased

patient satisfaction.

Changing Practice, Changing Lives: 10 Landmark Nursing Research Studies 3

INADEQUATE NURSE STAFFING INCREASES

RISKS FOR PATIENTS

This research is helping to:

PREDICT factors involved in hospital nursing care and patient safety;

PERSONALIZE methods to promote safe hospital environments and 

nurse job satisfaction;

PREEMPT adverse patient outcomes by promoting safe nurse working conditions 

and staffing levels.

1
In a widely reported study from 2002, Dr. Aiken examined job survey

results from over 10,000 bedside nurses, in conjunction with hospital

discharge abstracts of surgical patients. Results of the survey found

that over 40% of the nurse respondents, who averaged 10 years of

experience, reported high job dissatisfaction and emotional exhaustion

or burnout. 

The hospital data revealed that among post-operative patients, almost

one-quarter experienced a major complication, and 2% died within

30 days of admission. Compared to units with an average patient/nurse

ratio of 4 to 1, units with lower staffing had a 7% increased risk of

patient death or failure-to-rescue (the development of a serious 

post-operative complication) for each extra patient assigned per

nurse. An 8 to 1 ratio, the highest reported among the units in the

study, increased the risk of adverse outcomes by 31%. In addition,

poorer staffing intensified nurse dissatisfaction and burnout.

Implications

The round-the-clock presence of nurses on hospital units allows for

surveillance of patient conditions and early detection and response 

to problems. Over the past decade, however, health care industry 

cost control measures have led to cuts in the nursing staff at many

hospitals. These cuts, imposed at the same time that the Nation is

experiencing a shortage of qualified, trained nurses, are driving some

nurses from the profession. Dr. Aiken’s studies are among the first 

to document the relationship between nurse staffing on hospital 

units and the outcomes of patients. A good work environment lowers 

nurse burnout and staff turnover, while it improves patient safety 

and satisfaction with care. 

According to Dr. Aiken, “Clearly, there is a direct relationship

between nurse staffing and patient well-being. Nurse staffing is an

issue that needs priority attention on a national scale. Patients’ 

lives depend on it.”

Reference

Aiken LH, Clarke SP, Sloane DM, Sochalski J, Silber JH. Hospital nurse

staffing and patient mortality, nurse burnout, and job dissatisfaction. Journal

of the American Medical Association. 2002; 288: 1987-1993.

4 National Institute of Nursing Research
Pressure sores, also known as pressure ulcers or bed sores, represent

a serious health problem in hospitals, nursing homes, and other

health care settings. These sores develop when a bedridden or 

otherwise immobilized patient remains in one position for too

long. The constant pressure reduces blood supply to the skin and

underlying tissues, leading to tissue death and an open sore. More

than 4 million people develop pressure sores each year, primarily

the elderly and persons suffering a major injury or disease, adding

roughly $9 billion in annual health care costs. Pressure sores 

also complicate patient care and delay recovery. The best treatment

for pressure sores is prevention, and improved methods of assessment can help identify individuals at risk for pressure sores before

they develop. 

Summary of Research

Dr. Nancy Bergstrom, currently at the University of Texas, Houston,

began her research on pressure sores while at the University of

Nebraska. Dr. Bergstrom has collaborated with Dr. Barbara Braden to

develop and test the Braden Scale for Predicting Pressure Sore Risk©

.

The Braden Scale is an instrument designed to help health care

providers determine a patient’s risk for pressure sores. The patient is

assessed and given a score in six areas: ability to change positions,

physical activity capability, nutrition and hydration status, exposure 

Changing Practice, Changing Lives: 10 Landmark Nursing Research Studies 5

DEVELOPING AN INDEX TO REDUCE 

PRESSURE SORE RISK

This research is helping to:

PREDICT persons at risk for developing a pressure sore;

PERSONALIZE care to maintain skin integrity for immobilized patients;

PREEMPT the need to treat a pressure sore after it has developed, which often adds

several days and tens of thousands of dollars to the cost of hospitalization.

2
pressure sore risk.

Dr. Bergstrom tested the Braden scale in a multisite clinical trial

involving tertiary care hospitals, Veterans Administration (VA) medical

centers and skilled nursing facilities. None of the participants initially

had pressure sores. Nurses assessed the participants using the Braden

scale every two to three days over one- to four-week periods. During

the study, roughly 10% of the hospital or VA patients, and almost

one-quarter of nursing home residents, developed a pressure sore.

Patients with pressure sores were more likely to be older, white, and

female. Findings supported the predictive value of the Braden scale

to identify those patients at high risk for pressure sores.

Implications

The Braden scale is now widely used in nursing homes and hospitals

all over the world. Dr. Bergstrom has chaired two panels of the

Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, now the Agency for

Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), to determine best practice

information on pressure sore prevention. Her research and knowledge about pressure sores was instrumental in writing Pressure Ulcers in

Adults: Prediction and Prevention, and Pressure Ulcer Treatment, from which the

current AHRQ clinical guidelines for prevention and treatment of

pressure sores were developed.

Reference

Bergstrom N, Braden B, Kemp M, Champagne M, Ruby E. Multi-site

study of incidence of pressure ulcers and the relationship between risk level,

demographic characteristics, diagnoses, and prescription of preventive

interventions. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. 1996; 44(1): 22-30.

6 National Institute of Nursing Research
Type 1 diabetes, a disease that affects how the body uses sugar for

energy, is one of the most prevalent chronic conditions among

youths, affecting over 200,000 children and adolescents in the

U.S. However, management of diabetes, which involves frequent

testing of blood sugar levels and injections of insulin, often proves

very difficult among adolescents. Uncontrolled, diabetes can lead

to problems such as poor circulation, high blood pressure, kidney

damage, and blindness. Research on teenagers with diabetes has

shown they have difficulties in diabetes management, often in 

association with social situations involving peer pressure and fear

of being seen as different.

Summary of Research

Dr. Margaret Grey, dean of the Yale University School of Nursing,

developed and tested an intervention called Coping Skills Training

(CST) to improve diabetic teens coping and communication skills,

healthy behaviors, and conflict resolution, in conjunction with routine

diabetes management. This program was designed to increase teens’

sense of competence and mastery by redirecting inappropriate or 

non-constructive coping styles into more positive behavior patterns. 

To study the effectiveness of CST in a randomized, controlled trial,

the investigators divided a group of teens with type 1 diabetes into

experimental and control groups. Both groups received intensive 

Changing Practice, Changing Lives: 10 Landmark Nursing Research Studies 7

COPING SKILLS TRAINING IMPROVES

TEENS’ SELF-MANAGEMENT OF DIABETES

This research is helping to:

PREDICT behavioral problems associated with teens diagnosed with type 1 diabetes;

PERSONALIZE coping strategies to promote diabetes management and quality of life;

PREEMPT long-term complications from diabetes and other chronic illnesses.

3
diabetes management training to learn about their disease and how 

to handle it. The teens in the intervention group also received the

CST in small class sessions, using role-playing to explore common,

difficult situations they might face with friends. These included issues

such as managing food choices, making decisions about drugs and

alcohol, and facing interpersonal conflicts. Sessions lasted 60 to 90

minutes weekly for six weeks, followed by monthly training visits.

Both groups were followed for a year to assess their diabetes control

and quality of life.

The teens that received CST maintained better metabolic control,

and showed a significant improvement in long-term blood sugar 

levels, compared to the control group. Just as important, they 

experienced a decrease in depressive symptoms and reported a better

quality of life.

Implications

The benefits of behavioral interventions are evident, and the content

of the CST program could benefit teenagers with other chronic 

conditions as they struggle through the turbulent years of puberty. 

So far, over 100 practices that manage the care for teenage diabetics

have requested the CST manual developed by Dr. Grey and her team,

to incorporate this training into their routine care. Furthermore,

current clinical guidelines on the care of children and adolescents

with diabetes emphasize the need for comprehensive behavioral care,

not just disease management. 

As Dr. Grey has said, “Nursing research is about helping people deal

with the hand that they’ve been dealt. People who have children with

chronic illnesses have been dealt a bad hand. It’s very difficult to manage a child with something like diabetes. It takes a tremendous amount

of effort on the part of the entire family. And so what we do is try to

develop ways that help them manage very difficult situations better that

lead to better outcomes for families as well as for the children.”

Reference

Grey M, Davidson M, Boland EA, Tamborlane WV. Clinical and psychosocial

factors associated with achievement of treatment goals in adolescents with

diabetes mellitus. Journal of Adolescent Health. 2001; 28 (5): 377-85.

8 National Institute of Nursing Research
While cardiovascular disease (CVD) usually strikes adults over 

40 years of age, lifestyle behaviors that contribute to its development often begin in childhood. One major CVD risk factor is

physical inactivity. Over one-quarter of adolescents say they are

rarely involved in vigorous activities, and school-based physical

education classes often do not provide adequate time or intensity 

of exercise. The rates of overweight and obesity among children 

are rising, often due to inactivity and poor nutrition. Children are

increasingly found to have hypertension and elevated cholesterol.

Smoking also tends to start during adolescence. Nurses working

with children and teenagers can foster healthy lifestyle patterns to

prevent the early development of CVD.

Summary of Research

Dr. Joanne Harrell, professor at the University of North Carolina 

at Chapel Hill, is the principal investigator for the NINR-funded

Cardiovascular Health in Children and Youth (CHIC) studies. 

She has developed education and exercise programs that focus on

improving physical activity and reducing long-term cardiovascular

risks for use in schools across North Carolina, which has one of the

highest rates of death from CVD and stroke in the U.S. 

An early CHIC study (CHIC I) involved over 1,200 elementary

school students. In the program, the students received classes twice 

Changing Practice, Changing Lives: 10 Landmark Nursing Research Studies 9

HELPING YOUTHS ESTABLISH HEALTHY

HABITS OF EXERCISE AND DIET

This research is helping to:

PREDICT youths at risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) related to sedentary lifestyles;

PERSONALIZE strategies to help youths stay active and develop heart-healthy habits;

PREEMPT the early stages of CVD, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and other chronic 

conditions in school-aged children, providing health benefits throughout adulthood.

4
a week for eight weeks on the importance of exercise, selecting “heart

healthy” foods, and the dangers of smoking. In addition, they participated in a physical activity class three times a week that involved fun,

noncompetitive aerobic activities including jumping rope to music,

group relays, and dancing. Compared to children in a control group

that continued in their standard physical education classes, children

in the CHIC program had significantly greater knowledge about

healthy habits and reported more physical activity. They also lowered

their cholesterol and body fat, increased their aerobic power, and had

a smaller rise in their diastolic blood pressure than the controls.

Implications

A second CHIC study (CHIC II) tested interventions to increase

health awareness and exercise habits in middle school students.

Further research is ongoing with CHIC III, following previous CHIC

participants and others through all stages of puberty to investigate the

childhood development of several risk factors for CVD, obesity, and

metabolic syndrome, a precursor to type 2 diabetes.

According to Dr. Harrell, the CHIC studies have two major goals: 

(1) to determine the development and prevalence of cardiovascular

risk factors in youth; and (2) to test interventions to reduce these 

risk factors and improve heart health for young people. The results 

of these studies indicate a need to place emphasis within elementary 

and middle schools on health and physical activity to reduce the 

long-term risks of CVD. Dr. Harrell has stressed that parents, 

teachers, and health care professionals must help find ways for 

children to increase their amount of physical activity both during

school and outside of school hours.

Reference

Harrell JS, McMurray RG, Bangdiwala SI, Frauman AC, Gansky SA, Bradley

CB. Effects of a school-based intervention improve to reduce cardiovascular

disease risk factors in elementary-school children: The Cardiovascular

Health in Children (CHIC) Study. The Journal of Pediatrics. 1996; 128: 797-805.

10 National Institute of Nursing Research
High blood pressure (HBP), also known as hypertension, is the

most common chronic disease among blacks in the U.S. and a

major cause of disability and death, contributing to the mortality

gap between blacks and whites. Uncontrolled, it can damage 

circulation to the major organs, most significantly the heart, 

kidneys, and brain. The management of HBP often involves 

behavioral changes and dietary modifications, along with a regimen

of antihypertensive medications that require close follow-up from

a health care provider. Black men living in urban or impoverished

communities have a high incidence of HBP, and they generally

have poor access to health services and often do not seek care or

remain in treatment.

Summary of Research

Dr. Martha Hill, the dean of the Johns Hopkins University School of

Nursing, led a research group that developed a three-year program

involving a multidisciplinary health care team to provide care for

inner-city black men with HBP. To evaluate the program, they

recruited over 300 black men (average age 42 years) diagnosed with

HBP and living in inner-city Baltimore. Although many of the men

reported taking some form of antihypertensive medication, half had

no health insurance or regular doctor, and fewer than one in five had

achieved adequate BP control. Roughly one-quarter showed evidence

of heart and/or kidney damage. This was especially significant given

the relatively young age of the men.

Changing Practice, Changing Lives: 10 Landmark Nursing Research Studies 11

A HEALTH CARE TEAM HELPS REDUCE 

HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE AMONG 

INNER-CITY BLACK MEN

This research is helping to:

PREDICT susceptibility of persons with high blood pressure to early organ damage;

PERSONALIZE strategies to promote disease management and cardiovascular health;

PREEMPT long-term health risks from high blood pressure and related 

chronic conditions.

5
The health care team taught all of the study participants about the

benefits of HBP control, and all received free annual check-ups. 

Half of the men, serving as the control group, received referrals to

community health care sources for ongoing HBP care. The rest 

were enrolled in the HBP team intervention. The health care team

consisted of a nurse practitioner, a community health worker and 

a physician consultant. The team provided free antihypertensive

medications and follow-up care, ongoing assessments, home visits,

and referrals to social services and job training.

At the conclusion of the study, men in both the control and the

intervention groups showed decreases in smoking and consumption

of salty foods. However, the men in the HBP team intervention

showed a significant decrease in their systolic and diastolic pressures,

with 44% lowering their blood pressure to within the normal range,

and fewer signs of heart and kidney damage. They also reported more

regular use of health care services and antihypertensive medications

than the control group. 

Implications

According to Dr. Hill, no previous hypertension studies had targeted

high-risk, young urban black men, who are frequently underserved 

by the health care system. Participation in this study was the first time

many of these men had come into contact with formal health care.

They were pleased to be part of the research and to improve their

health. By establishing a lasting, trusting relationship with these at-risk

men, the health care team encouraged them to make lifestyle changes

and maintain medication regimens that helped to improve their

management of HBP.

Dr. Hill said, “We used a comprehensive health care team approach

with these men, who are considered hard to reach. The team approach

was key to achieving control of hypertension and to retaining more

than 90% of these men in the study protocol over three years’ time.”

Reference

Hill MN, Han H, Dennison CR, Kim MT, Roary MC, Blumenthal RS,

Bone LR, Levine DM, and Post WS. (2003). Hypertension care and control

in underserved urban African American men: behavioral and physiologic

outcomes at 36 months. American Journal of Hypertension, 2003; 16: 906-913.

12 National Institute of Nursing Research
Infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which

can advance to Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), 

is a significant health problem in the U.S. and the world. The 

disease has spread to all populations, and heterosexual activity is an

increasingly common mode of transmission. Cases of HIV/AIDS

are increasing among younger people from 13 to 30 years of age.

While new medications have extended the life of people with HIV,

the disease has no cure. The key to defeating HIV lies with prevention.

Educational programs are needed to reach and convince young

people to reduce unsafe sexual practices and protect themselves

from HIV, to help to slow or stop the spread of this and other sexually

transmitted diseases (STDs).

Summary of Research

Dr. Loretta Sweet Jemmott, professor at the University of Pennsylvania

and Director of the NINR Hampton-Penn Center to Reduce Health

Disparities, has spent many years in the field of HIV/AIDS prevention.

Her program of research, funded by a variety of sources including

NINR, has focused on reducing risky sexual behavior, primarily

among minority adolescents. 

An early NINR-funded program among adolescent black women

included sessions on HIV/AIDS prevention and safe sexual practices,

along with skills demonstrations emphasizing negotiation with a 

Changing Practice, Changing Lives: 10 Landmark Nursing Research Studies 13

REDUCING HIV RISK AMONG YOUNG

MINORITY WOMEN

This research is helping to:

PREDICT individuals and populations at high risk for HIV transmission;

PERSONALIZE preventive strategies in developmentally and culturally sensitive ways;

PREEMPT HIV transmission by promoting HIV awareness, abstinence, and 

safe sex practices.

6
partner and proper condom usage. The sessions were led by black

nurses, and used audiovisual demonstrations, technical skill building

demonstrations, role-playing, and discussions built around several

themes: “Respect Yourself, Protect Yourself—Because You’re Worth

It,” “Be Proud, Be Responsible,” and “Let’s Work Together to Save

our People and Community.” 

Building on this program in a study funded by the National Institute

of Mental Health, Dr. Jemmott developed an educational intervention

that delivered eight educational modules on sexual abstinence and

safe sex practices to inner-city black middle school students. The study

retained over 90% of its participants over the year-long period. Those

who completed the modules were less likely to engage in sexual intercourse, and those who were already sexually active reported more consistency in their use of condoms and fewer episodes of unprotected sex.

Implications

Dr. Jemmott was among the first to show that educational interventions

can help reduce risky sexual behaviors and to demonstrate their effectiveness in schools, health clinics, and other primary care settings.

The educational programs are designed not only to increase awareness

of HIV prevention but also to be entertaining, culturally sensitive,

and gender appropriate. Based on the success of these programs, the

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have used them

as model curricula in their Division of Adolescent and School Health

(DASH), and they are disseminated both nationally and internationally.

Dr. Jemmott has been invited to South Africa to help decrease the

impact of HIV/AIDS in Africa.

Dr. Jemmott said, “For the past 15 years I have observed how the

HIV/AIDS epidemic has disproportionately impacted the African

American community, becoming convinced the incidence could be

reduced if people changed their sexual behaviors. Our research has

demonstrated remarkable success in reducing HIV risk-associated

sexual behaviors among African American adolescents and adults.”

Reference

Loretta S. Jemmott, AIDS & black women—testing risk behavior interventions, NINR grant R01 NR03123.

Jemmott JB 3rd, Jemmott LS, Fong GT. Abstinence and safer sex HIV riskreduction interventions for African American adolescents: a randomized

controlled trial. Journal of the American Medical Association. 1998; 279(19): 1529-36.

14 National Institute of Nursing Research
Pain is often viewed as an annoying symptom or a temporary, 

secondary consequence of illness or injury. However, pain is

responsible for 40 million health care visits each year. It can delay

recovery and impact daily functioning, and coping with chronic

pain may become the consuming focus of a person’s life. This

common symptom is particularly difficult to study because the 

perception of pain is highly subjective. In recent years, there 

has been an intensifying focus on understanding biological and

psychological factors of pain. Pain is a very personal experience,

and its treatment is a major public health concern.

Summary of Research

Drs. Jon Levine and Christine Miaskowski of the University of

California at San Francisco began their studies in pain by seeking to

identify a longer-acting acute pain medication than those currently

available to reduce postoperative distress. Their research in humans has

centered on postoperative pain management following dental surgery.

The researchers tested the effects of nalbuphine, a member of a littleused class of medications called kappa-opioids, on women and men

after surgery for wisdom tooth extraction. They found that women

gained relief of their postoperative pain from a moderate dose of 

nalbuphine, while both higher and lower doses had little effect when

compared to a placebo. In men, only a high dose offered slight,

Changing Practice, Changing Lives: 10 Landmark Nursing Research Studies 15

GENDER-BASED DIFFERENCES IN 

PAIN RESPONSE

This research is helping to:

PREDICT persons who can be helped by certain medications for pain;

PERSONALIZE gender-based strategies to manage pain;

PREEMPT the lower quality of life and increased disability related to chronic pain.

7
short-term pain relief, while a low dose actually intensified the pain.

Kappa-opioids have fewer negative side effects, such as nausea, confusion, and constipation, than the more commonly used mu-opioids like

morphine. The difference in pain perceptions and responses between

women and men uncovered in this study was an unexpected result.

Implications

Pain can exert a powerful influence on recovery from illness and on

quality of life. Previously, most studies on pain have focused on men.

This interesting finding revealed the importance of considering gender

in providing medications and identified new directions for research

on the experience and relief of pain. 

The research team continues to explore the exciting frontier of pain

research, including studies on how pain is experienced and how it is

relieved. The investigators plan to look at the brain mechanisms that

underlie the gender differences in responding to kappa-opioid analgesia,

how naloxone, an opioid blocker, is able to moderate these differences,

and the effects of kappa-opioids in patients with many types of

chronic pain. In laboratory studies, this research team has also used 

a rat model to explore gender differences in the perception and

response to pain and the role of the female hormone estrogen in 

pain signaling and peripheral pain receptors.

Reference

Gear RW, Miaskowski C, Gordon NC, Paul SM, Heller PH, Levine JD. The

kappa opioid nalbuphine produces gender- and dose-dependent analgesia

and antianalgesia in patients with postoperative pain. Pain. 1999; 83 (2):

339-45. 

16 National Institute of Nursing Research
Chronic conditions such as arthritis, cardiovascular disease, and

diabetes are the principal cause of disability in the U.S., and they

account for a large percentage of all health care costs. Treatment

plans often depend on patient self-management, which may involve

strict medication schedules, diets, and exercise regimens, along

with education programs that teach healthy behaviors, recognition

of adverse symptoms, and coping with discomfort and disability.

More than one in eight people in the U.S. are of Hispanic origin.

Roughly one-fifth of Hispanics lack proficiency in English, which

tends to isolate them from accessing or using community health

resources, while nearly one-third lack any form of health insurance.

Many older Hispanics do not have access to health care or to useful

health information about chronic diseases, especially health materials

written in Spanish.

Summary of Research

Nurse scientist Dr. Kate Lorig of Stanford University in California

and her research team have designed programs aimed at improving

the health status, delaying deterioration, and reducing the need for

health care visits related to chronic health conditions. Much of their

initial work was devoted to arthritis, and resulted in the six-week

Arthritis Self-Management Program, which helped to reduce pain

and the need for physician visits while increasing the activity levels 

for arthritis sufferers.

Changing Practice, Changing Lives: 10 Landmark Nursing Research Studies 17

A COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAM IMPROVES

SELF-MANAGEMENT OF ARTHRITIS AMONG

OLDER HISPANICS

This research is helping to:

PREDICT which individuals will benefit from self-management of arthritis;

PERSONALIZE treatment options, especially among Hispanics in the U.S.;

PREEMPT declines in health and the need for health care visits due to the 

effects of arthritis and other chronic conditions by improving patient control and

self-management.

8
Despite this success, the Arthritis program was not reaching the

Hispanic population in the U.S., where arthritis is a leading cause of

disability. In order to make the courses available to all Spanish-speaking

persons, Dr. Lorig developed a new program, based on her previous

work, that included a six-week series of classes along with a book,

Como Convivir con su Artritis (How to Live With Your Arthritis).

Health care class leaders were recruited from the Hispanic community

and received training to teach the course. The classes were held at

local community sites. The book and the class materials contained

detailed information in Spanish about self-management of arthritis,

along with audiotapes to promote exercise and relaxation. Each class

consisted of 10 to 15 people suffering from arthritis and also included

additional family members who wanted to learn about the disease.

One year after the program, a follow-up evaluation found that the

study participants reported increased self-efficacy in managing their

arthritis, improved activity levels and general health, decreased levels

of pain, disability, and depression, and fewer visits to a physician,

compared to a control group that received standard care. 

Implications

Dr. Lorig expanded this work to develop a new program, Tomando

Control de su Salud (Taking Control of Your Health), designed to

address a variety of chronic conditions, including heart disease,

hypertension, diabetes, and lung disease. Several organizations in the

U.S. are now offering this model of chronic disease self-management.

In addition, the National Health Service of England has adopted it as

a nationwide program and is presently implementing it in primary

health care sites. In addition, organizations and communities in

Canada, Europe, Australia, China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, and South

Africa are using her work. This self-management model is making a

difference in the lives of chronically ill adults throughout the world.

Dr. Lorig’s research continues to develop and evaluate communitybased self-management programs. She is now testing a course in

Spanish specifically for type II diabetics that also includes telephone

messages about managing the disease.

Reference

Lorig K, Gonzalez VM, Ritter P. Community-based Spanish language arthritis education program: a randomized trial. Medical Care. 1999; 37: 957-963.

18 National Institute of Nursing Research
With the aging of the population in the U.S., a greater number 

of older adults are living longer with chronic health conditions.

Our current health care system tends to focus on acute care provided

in hospitals. Less emphasis has been placed on home care after

patients leave the hospital, where recovery and rehabilitation 

continues. Elders who are hospitalized for heart failure often 

have multiple medical conditions, symptoms, and medications,

and they have the highest hospital readmission rate of all adult

patient groups. This indicates a serious breakdown in continuity 

of care during the transition from the hospital to the home.

Summary of Research

Dr. Mary Naylor, professor at the University of Pennsylvania, has

worked with an interdisciplinary research team looking into ways to

improve the outcomes and reduce the costs of care for elders living in

the community. Dr. Naylor and several collaborators have developed

a transitional care model that employs advanced practice nurses

(APNs) to provide hospital discharge planning and transitional care

for a variety of vulnerable patient populations.

In a randomized, controlled trial, Dr. Naylor and her team evaluated

the effectiveness of the transitional care model in helping to maintain

the health and function of elders with heart failure after hospital 

discharge. Roughly 80% of the elders had been hospitalized for a

Changing Practice, Changing Lives: 10 Landmark Nursing Research Studies 19

TRANSITIONAL CARE IMPROVES OUTCOMES

FOR ELDERS AFTER LEAVING THE HOSPITAL

This research is helping to:

PREDICT problems in the transition of care for elders after hospital discharge;

PERSONALIZE discharge planning and home care to individual health care needs;

PREEMPT complications and rehospitalizations after elderly patients are 

discharged home.

9
sudden exacerbation of their condition, and the average length of

hospital stay was five days. Elders participating in the intervention

received a three-month APN-led program designed to manage their

discharge planning. The APNs worked with the patients to identify

goals, individualize care plans and learning needs, coordinate care

across the different settings from hospital to home, and implement

an evidence-based protocol to manage the multiple health issues of 

heart failure patients. A follow-up evaluation at one year showed that

patients who had received the intervention had a longer time before

first hospital readmission, along with fewer total rehospitalizations,

hospital days, and deaths than the control group that continued in

standard care. Improvements were also noted in patient satisfaction

and quality of life. Although the APN program increased the initial

cost of care, the total health care costs over the year-long study period

were lower by almost $3,500 per patient for those in the intervention

group, when compared to the control group.

Implications

The current health care system is often organized into separate areas—

hospital, community, and home–but transitional care bridges this

divide to promote better, cost-effective health care. The transitional

care model offers potential health benefits to patients at a lower total

cost of care, although more study is needed. A major national health

insurer is conducting a pilot program in New Jersey, Delaware and

Pennsylvania to evaluate the success of transitional care. 

As Dr. Naylor states, “Nurses will play a pivotal role in addressing the

health care needs of people throughout the 21st century. The cutting

edge science, led by nurses and designed to advance knowledge related

to promoting healthy lifestyles and caring for the chronically ill, 

will position nurses and other health team members to make a major

difference in the lives of these people.”

Reference

Naylor MD, Brooten DA, Campbell RL, Maislin G, McCauley KM,

Schwartz JS. Transitional care of older adults hospitalized with heart failure:

a randomized, controlled trial. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 2004; 52:

675-684.

20 National Institute of Nursing Research
Unhealthy behaviors such as smoking, drinking, and drug use in

young, high-risk pregnant women can lead to pregnancy complications

such as high blood pressure or preterm labor, and to the delivery of

a premature or low birth weight infant. If continued after delivery,

these behaviors can contribute to poor parenting that results in

childhood developmental delays, injuries, or neglect, difficulties

in achieving economic self-sufficiency, and additional pregnancies

before the family can adapt. Promoting health and well-being among

young, disadvantaged mothers and their children who are caught up

in the cycle of poverty, neglect, domestic violence, substance abuse,

and other health and social problems is a key issue in addressing

health disparities for our nation. 

Summary of Research

A team of investigators led by Dr. David Olds, formerly of the University

of Rochester and currently at the University of Colorado, developed a

program that involved public health nurse visits to the homes of disadvantaged young pregnant mothers. These visits start before the child is

born and continue through the early childhood period.

Dr. Olds adapted a successful home nursing visit program originally

developed in rural upstate New York for a group of over 1,000 lowincome black women in urban Memphis, Tennessee. Mothers in the

Memphis program received an average of seven home visits from a

Changing Practice, Changing Lives: 10 Landmark Nursing Research Studies 21

HOME NURSING VISITS BENEFIT LOWINCOME MOTHERS AND THEIR CHILDREN

This research is helping to:

PREDICT the needs of young mothers at risk for pregnancy complications and 

children at risk for behavioral or developmental problems;

PERSONALIZE pre- and post-natal care to help these women and their families cope;

PREEMPT adverse pregnancy and child outcomes, and a continued cycle of 

pregnancy and impoverishment in low-income or minority families.

10
public health nurse during their pregnancy, along with 26 visits after

delivery that continued through the child’s second birthday. The

home visits were tailored to the needs of each family. Nurses provided

prenatal care, taught parenting skills, linked the mothers to community

services, and improved the mothers’ social support systems. Results

indicated that many of the beneficial effects seen in the upstate New

York study applied to the Memphis families as well. The mothers had

significantly less pregnancy-induced high blood pressure, a common

pregnancy complication, and they demonstrated better timing of 

subsequent pregnancies. In the two years after delivery, childhood

injuries were also substantially reduced.

Implications

Analysis of the New York study showed increased self-sufficiency 

of the families and reductions in Aid to Families with Dependent

Children and Food Stamp payments. A follow-up study of the

Memphis program found that when the children reached six years of

age (four years after the first study was concluded), they had higher

IQ and language scores and fewer behavioral problems compared to

similar children outside of the program, while the mothers showed

lasting stability in family finances and relationships. This program 

of public health nurse visits is beginning to move from the research

realm into public use.

Dr. Olds currently directs the Prevention Research Center for Family

and Child Health at the University of Colorado Health Sciences

Center. The focus of this Center is to examine the long-term impact

of this home nursing visit program on low-income, first-time mothers

and their families. With funding from NIH, other federal agencies,

and private philanthropies, the Center is conducting follow-up studies

to evaluate how this program affects maternal economic self-sufficiency,

parenting function, and substance abuse, as well as the behavioral

outcomes, adaptive functioning, and productive life-course of the

children as they enter adolescence and young adulthood.

Reference

Kitzman H, Olds DL, Henderson CR Jr, Hanks C, Cole R, Tatelbaum R,

McConnochie KM, Sidora K, Luckey DW, Shaver D, Engelhardt K, 

James D, Barnard K. Effect of prenatal and infancy home visitation by 

nurses on pregnancy outcomes, childhood injuries, and repeated childbearing.

A randomized controlled trial. Journal of the American Medical Association. 1997;

278(8): 644-52. 

22 National Institute of Nursing Research
NIH PUBLICATION NUMBER: 06-6094 Changing Practice, Changing Lives: Ten Landmark Nursing Research Studies c4