A Day in the Life of an Academic Geriatric Nurse
Jimmy Reyes, DNP, MSN, RN
College of Nursing
The University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa
Pre-doctoral Scholar 2008-2010
Research: Diabetes self-management in Hispanic older adults
Jimmy Reyes’ interest in geriatric nursing was sparked as a teenager living in Chile with his grandmother, a community health nurse. His grandmother often visited patients in their homes. “I was interested in her work, and what she taught me was the foundation for my pursuit of a career in geriatric nursing,” he says.
Dr. Reyes and his mentor Dr. Lisa Skemp arrive at the Health Department in Louisa County, Iowa, which is one of the community partners in their diabetes management program for older Hispanic residents.
When Dr. Reyes came to the United States, he enrolled as a bachelor’s student at the University of Iowa, a top rated nursing school for gerontology and a Hartford Center of Geriatric Nursing Excellence. “The professors were very passionate about working with older adults and that helped me to become passionate about assisting this underserved group,” says Dr. Reyes.
Encouraged by his advisors, Toni Tripp-Reimer, PhD, RN, and Lisa Skemp, PhD, RN, MA, Dr. Reyes decided to pursue a doctoral (PhD) degree in gerontology and at the same time a doctor of nursing practice (DNP) degree. “This has helped me to look at clinical problems and think about how to develop culturally anchored interventions,” says Dr. Reyes.
“The professors were very passionate about working with older adults and that helped me to become passionate about assisting this underserved group.”For his dissertation, Dr. Reyes is using community-based participatory research methods to create a diabetes self-management program for Hispanic older adults. Dr. Reyes is responsive and invested in the health care of older adults in his neighborhood and has designed his research accordingly.
Dr. Reyes consults with Louisa County Public Health Administrator Alana Poage.
Dr. Reyes with a restaurant owner in rural Iowa where he and Dr. Skemp are implementing the diabetes management program. 
