A Day in the Life of an Academic Geriatric Nurse

Claudia Beverly, PhD, RN

Professor
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
College of Nursing
Little Rock, Arkansas

Director, Hartford Center of Geriatric Nursing Excellence

claudia_beverly Dr. Claudia Beverly Claudia Beverly, PhD, RN, is committed to ensuring that all older adults receive the highest quality health care. Toward that end, she has embraced the public policy arena and has been rewarded with outstanding results and recognition for her efforts. The American Academy of Nursing, through their Raise the Voice campaign, named her an Edge Runner—an honor given to nurses who have developed innovative models of care with excellent clinical and financial outcomes.

Dr. Beverly received this recognition for her leadership in helping to convince the Arkansas government and citizens to dedicate the state’s share of the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement to health. As part of this referendum, the Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging was funded with $1.5 to $2 million annually for a health-related program targeted to older adults. As Associate Director of the Reynolds Institute, Dr. Beverly designed and implemented a program of eight regional Centers on Aging. “We brought together stakeholders from government, long-term care providers, and consumers and received funding from the State of Arkansas to improve care in nursing homes.” Each Center on Aging partners with a local hospital to provide primary care by an interdisciplinary team of a geriatrician, advanced practice nurse, and social worker. An educational component of the program provides health information to health care professionals, students, older adults and their families, and the community at large.

Dr. Beverly also advocates for nursing home residents through the Arkansas Coalition for Nursing Home Excellence, which she created with Cornelia Beck, PhD, RN, and Peggy Moody, Executive Director of Catlett Care. “We brought together stakeholders from government, long-term care providers, and consumers and received funding from the State of Arkansas to improve care in nursing homes,” says Dr. Beverly. Through this collaboration the Coalition has succeeded in reducing pressure ulcer rates and use of physical restraints as well as improving pain management in nursing homes in Arkansas. Impressively, over 85 percent of residents and families rate their nursing home facility as good or excellent.

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claudia_beverlyDr. Beverly presenting an annual report to the Tobacco Commission about the Centers on Aging, which are funded by the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement. claudia_beverly

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claudia_beverly Donna Taylor, RN, and students in the classroom at the South Central Center on Aging in Pine Bluff, AR. The education center provides caregiver education courses for home health aides and family members who care for older adults living in their homes. claudia_beverly Dr. Beverly visits M. Dale Terrell, MD, Director, and Theresa Horton, MNSc, APN, Director of Education, at the South Central Center on Aging in Pine Bluff, AR, to check on the Schmieding Home Caregiving Training Program, which the center had just implemented. claudia_beverly

Corrine Jurgens, PhD, RN ›