News Release

CHAPEL HILL -- In an effort to enhance the quality of geriatric patient care and nursing education, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University schools of nursing have established a visiting professorship in geriatric nursing.

The new Duke-Carolina Visiting Professorship in Geriatric Nursing will bring Dr. Sarah Kagan, a 2003 recipient of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation’s "Genius Award," to the Carolina campus for three days as the first recipient of the professorship.

Kagan will present at the 2004 Carol Hogue Distinguished Lectureship – a talk titled "What’s Wrong with This Picture? Nurses’ Influence on Being Old and Ill in America" – at 3:30 p.m. Nov. 1. The event, to be held at the Carolina Inn, is free to the public. A reception will follow the talk.

Kagan is the Doris R. Schwartz term professor in gerontological nursing at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Nursing.

Statistics indicate that less than 1 percent of nurses nationwide are certified in geriatrics, yet 1.3 million nurses work in hospitals where patients over 65 years of age represent 36 percent of hospital stays and 49 percent of all hospital days.

"Together, Duke and Carolina will outline strategic initiatives that address education and clinical issues regarding current elderly populations and for aging baby boomers," said Dr. Mary H. Palmer, Helen and Thomas Umphlet distinguished professor in aging at Carolina’s School of Nursing.

With the nation facing a national nursing shortage and a rapidly growing aging population, most nurses today are, by default, geriatric nurses, experts have said. However, few nurses are formally prepared in geriatric nursing.

"This joint venture creates a resource to answer pressing questions about the preparation of geriatric nurses and to explore new avenues of research to help improve the quality of life in older adults," said Dr. Eleanor McConnell, associate professor of nursing and director of Duke’s gerontological nursing program.

The Duke-Carolina Visiting Professorship in Geriatric Nursing is supported by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, which has committed $66,000 over six years – $11,000 each year – in funding. Duke and Carolina will alternate hosting of the professorship, and faculty members from both universities will meet with the visiting professor to explore new ideas in geriatric care and education.

"Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina is pleased to support this professorship, which will help the nursing community to develop partnerships and improve skills to better serve a population in our state that is projected to double over the next 25 years," said Dr. Robert Harris, chief medical officer for BCBSNC.

The BCBSNC gift counts toward the Carolina First campaign goal of $1.8 billion. Carolina First is a comprehensive, multi-year private fund-raising campaign to support Carolina’s vision of becoming the nation’s leading public university.

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Carolina School of Nursing contact: Amanda Dindino, (919) 966-1412

Carolina News Services contact: Deb Saine, (919) 962-8415 or deborah_saine@unc.edu