School Notes: School of Nursing
July/August 2006

Dean Grey elected to membership in the Institute of Medicine

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academies has elected Dean Margaret Grey to membership. Of a total active membership of 1,461, only 60 nurses have been elected. Other members include YSN professor Ruth McCorkle and former dean Donna Diers, as well as several YSN alumni. Election to IOM recognizes those who have made major contributions to the advancement of the medical sciences, health care, and public health. It is considered one of the highest honors in these fields. Dean Grey is an expert in behavioral aspects of diabetes care in children and in childhood obesity prevention.

Nursing conference addresses chronic conditions

YSN, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Mahidol University in Thailand recently hosted an international nursing conference in Bangkok that addressed prevention and management of chronic conditions. “Prevention and Management of Chronic Conditions: International Perspectives” was the first conference to bring together top scholars from throughout Asia, Europe, and North America to discuss the role of nursing research and practice in helping families and communities around the world manage chronic conditions. The three-day event focused on such topics as the influence of globalization on health, chronic illness across the lifespan, complementary and alternative therapies for chronic illness, family caregiving, and access to and delivery of care in chronic illness. More than 550 delegates from 16 countries attended.

New online specialty prepares RNs for healthcare leadership

A new master’s specialty in nursing management, policy, and leadership will prepare nurses for leadership positions in health care delivery and health policy, areas that are essential for transforming health care systems and improving population health. “The program is based on the belief that management and policy are the important determinants of the operations of health care systems, and that change in such operations has become a national priority for the improvement of quality and patient safety,” said Dr. Sally Cohen, program director. The specialty features innovative web-based methods combined with intensive monthly campus sessions, designed to be responsive to students' busy personal and professional lives.