AJN The American Journal of Nursing - Behind the Article

AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Jaclyn Gabauer about her article, which explores the factors that contribute to polypharmacy in older adults, examines its negative physiological and economic effects, and outlines strategies to promote safe and appropriate medication prescribing.

AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Laura E. Britton, Amy Alspaugh, and Madelyne Z. Greene about their article—a comprehensive review of the major characteristics of nonpermanent contraceptive methods, including combined hormonal contraceptives, progestin-only methods, nonhormonal methods, and recent innovations in contraception.

AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Franklin A. Shaffer and Mukul A. Bakhshi about their article, which discusses the current state of international recruitment and reports on the findings of their study of foreign-educated health professionals and recruiters to further illuminate the recruitment experience.

AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Timiya S. Nolan and Kristine Browning about their article, which describes the concept of spiritual distress, and illustrates how nurses can incorporate into practice evidence-based recommendations for addressing cancer survivors’ spiritual needs.

AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Jessica Lynne Spruit about her article, which provides an overview of the approaches used to treat hematologic childhood cancers, explains which treatments are indicated for the various types of leukemia and lymphoma, and discusses nursing care of the child and family.

AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Liselotte Dyrbye about a study in which she and her colleagues surveyed a random sample of American Nurses Association members to find out the extent of career choice regret among U.S. nurses and whether burnout is an independent predictor.

AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Mary C. Zonsius and Joanne M. Miller about their article, which describes the unique care needs of hospitalized patients with dementia, highlighting evidence-based strategies and person-centered care principles nurses can incorporate into practice.

AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Lynn Greenleaf Brown about her article, which discusses how a nursing faculty member and a pharmacy resident collaborated to offer free glycated hemoglobin testing and diabetes counseling at alocal community festival.

AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Hanna B. Demeke and Eugene McCray about their article, which discusses a new initiative proposed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that aims to reduce new HIV infections by 75% within five years and by 90% within 10 years.

AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Aimee Milliken and Melissa Uveges about their article, which reviews the development of brain death criteria, describes recent controversies and criteria updates, and discusses considerations for nurses who care for patients declared dead by neurologic criteria.

AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Sara Wohlford and Kimberly Ferren Carter about their article, which describes how nurses can promote workplace environmental sustainability initiatives in three areas: linen efficiency, supply waste reduction, and proper waste sorting.

AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Leslie Mancuso, president and chief executive officer of Jhpiego, and Patricia M. Davidson, professor and dean of the School of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University, about the first-ever report on the State of the World’s Nursing.

AJN clinical editor Betsy Todd speaks with Christine Carlson about a QI project to improve the experiences of hospitalized visually impaired patients.

AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Bernardine Lacey and Sandra B. Lewenson about the article in which Lacey is featured, which details, in her own words, her experiences with racism in her education and career.

AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Christine Pabst about her article, which reviews the pathogenesis, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of pediatric neuropsychiatric disorders associated with strep infection.

AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Ellen Elpern about her article, a reflection on retiring on her own terms.

AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Stephanie Niu and Fidelindo Lim about their article, which reviews the effects of smoking on bone health, the importance of smoking cessation among patients scheduled for or recovering from orthopedic surgery, and the vital role nurses play in supporting patient efforts to quit.

AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Bronwyn E. Fields about her article—one in a series published in collaboration with the AARP Public Policy Institute—which presents instructions and tips nurses can use to educate and support caregivers of supplemental oxygen users.

AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Jayne Jennings Dunlap about her article, which discusses autism spectrum disorder (ASD) epidemiology, screening, and diagnosis, as well as appropriate early actions nurses can take when ASD is suspected.

AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Patricia A. Patrician about her and her colleagues’ study, which sought to determine the number of suicides and estimated rate of suicide among RNs.

AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Bernadette Capili about her article, which focuses on how to start the research process by identifying a topic of interest and developing a well-defined research question. This article is the first in a new series on clinical research by nurses, “Nursing Research, Step by Step.”

AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Linda M. MacIntyre about what the tumultuous past year has been like for Red Cross operations, the valuable skills nurses can bring to the Red Cross, and more.

AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Blima Marcus about the topic of the February editorial, “Building Trust”: nurses being trusted sources of information.

AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Bernadette Capili about her article, an introduction to designing study eligibility criteria and recruiting study participants. This article is the second in a new series on clinical research by nurses, “Nursing Research, Step by Step.”

AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Lydia A. Bertschi about her article, which discusses the meaning and function of complete blood count components and highlights the important pathophysiological evidence they provide.

AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Theresa Brown and Tom Cosgrove about a new report from the Frontline Nurses WikiWisdom Forum—an initiative of New Voice Strategies, the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, and AJN—in which nurses share their COVID-19 experiences and offer strategies to successfully manage future health care crises.

AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Roxanne L. O’Brien and Matt W. O’Brien about their article, a primer on how ‘big data’ and new analytic models are transforming nursing.

AJN senior clinical editor Christine Moffa speaks with Amie M. Koch about her article, which describes the case of a chronically ill patient whose care was grossly mismanaged as a result of the policies and practices of a dysfunctional health system.

AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Alexa Colgrove Curtis about her article, which discusses sampling design and probability and nonprobability sampling methodologies. This article is the third in a new series on clinical research by nurses, “Nursing Research, Step by Step.”

AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Amanda Bergeron about her article, which provides an evidence-based review of the care of hospitalized adults with COVID-19.

AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Alexa Colgrove Curtis about her article, which explores measurement in quantitative research and considers the concepts of validity and reliability as they relate to quantitative research measurement.

AJN senior clinical editor Christine Moffa speaks with Andrew Penn about his article, which discusses the growing interest in psychedelic therapies—such as LSD, MDMA, and psilocybin—for the treatment of mental health disorders, including trauma, depression, and addiction, as well as the potential role of nursing in this emerging field.

AJN senior clinical editor Christine Moffa speaks with Crystal Morales about her article, which describes Care for the Caregiver—a peer-to-peer program that provides support to clinicians who have experienced an unexpected and emotionally distressing event—and how it was adapted in the authors’ health system in response to the pandemic.

AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy speaks with Kerry Shields and Kristin Atlas about their article, which describes the epidemiology, pathophysiology, signs and symptoms, other potential diagnoses, and treatments relevant to MIS-C.

Authors Susan Farus‑Brown, DNP, APRN, FNP‑BC, Ellen Fineout‑Overholt, PhD, RN, EBP‑C, FNAP, FAAN, and Kerry A. Milner, DNSc, APRN, FNP‑BC, EBP‑C join us to discuss the ninth article in AJN's Evidence‑Based Decision-Making series. Grab your copy of the article and follow along as we explore practical strategies for successfully implementing DNP projects—from planning through real‑world execution. DNP students, faculty, and practicing clinicians will find actionable insights to support evidence‑based practice change.

In this episode, Christine Moffa interviews Anne Wolber Burgess, a pioneering figure in forensic nursing whose groundbreaking contributions have reshaped the way clinicians understand and interview survivors of assault. Their conversation traces Burgess's influential career—from her early research that brought national attention to survivors' experiences to her enduring impact on trauma‑informed approaches in healthcare. This episode provides clinicians, educators, and advocates with invaluable perspective from one of the most respected leaders in the field, illuminating both the evolution of forensic nursing and the ongoing importance of survivor‑centered care.

The authors of the 8th article in AJN's evidence-based decision-making (EBDM) series discuss implementation planning. For more information on EBDM visit the collection here: https://journals.lww.com/ajnonline/pages/collectiondetails.aspx?TopicalCollectionId=60

The authors of the seventh article in AJN's evidence-based decision-making (EBDM) series discuss the benchmarking process. For more information on EBDM visit the collection here: https://journals.lww.com/ajnonline/pages/collectiondetails.aspx?TopicalCollectionId=60

For more information on kratom: https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/kratom https://www.dea.gov/sites/default/files/2020-06/Kratom-2020_0.pdf https://www.fda.gov/news-events/public-health-focus/fda-and-kratom https://www.liprc.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/SAMHSA-UpdatedKratomFactSheet_2.25.19_Final.pdf  Wright, M. E., Ginsberg, C., Parkison, A. M., Dubose, M., Sherbondy, M., & Shores, E. (2021). Outcomes of mothers and newborns to prenatal exposure to kratom: A systematic review. Journal of Perinatology, 41(6), 1236-1243. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-021-00952-8

In this episode of The AJN Podcast, Rebekah Marsh, BSN, RN, CCRN, president of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN), and Jennifer Adamski, DNP, APRN, ACNP-BC, CCRN, FCCM, immediate past president of the AACN, discuss NTI 2025, the AACN's Clinical Scene Investigator Academy, and this year's AACN theme, "On Purpose." For more information, visit: AACN Clinical Scene Investigator (CSI) Academy AACN NTI 2025 Conference-

In this episode of The AJN Podcast, Kerry A. Milner, DNSc, APRN, FNP-BC, EBP-C, Roy Brown, MLIS, AHIP-D, and Ellen Fineout-Overholt, PhD, RN, EBP-C, FNAP, FAAN, discuss their article "Librarian Partnerships in DNP Education," which appears in AJN's June 2025 issue. Subscribers to AJN can access the full series and accompanying tools in the repository found here: Evidence-Based Decision-Making Series: Helpful Tools.

In this powerful episode, we're joined by Francine Bono-Neri, PhD, RN, APRN, PNP, FAAN—cofounder and president of Nurses United Against Human Trafficking (NUAHT). Dr. Bono-Neri shares how a single clinical encounter changed the course of her career and ignited her mission to educate nurses on identifying and supporting patients who may be experiencing human trafficking. Learn how to recognize the signs during patient interactions and understand the critical role nurses play in trauma-informed care and advocacy. Blog post: https://ajnoffthecharts.com/the-intersection-of-human-trafficking-and-health-care Recommended resources: https://www.nuaht.org https://www.nursesunitedagainsthumantrafficking.org https://www.dhs.gov/blue-campaign https://endsexualexploitation.org https://www.missingkids.org/home https://polarisproject.org

Resources for further information: National Council of State Boards of Nursing: https://www.ncsbn.org Find your state's board of nursing here: https://www.ncsbn.org/membership/us-members/contact-bon.page Nurses Service Organization: https://www.nso.com/risk-management/individuals

In this episode of The AJN Podcast, Susan Farus-Brown, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, Ellen Fineout-Overholt, PhD, RN, EBP-C, FNAP, FAAN, and Kerry Milner, DNSc, APRN, FNP-BC, EBP-C, coauthors of our Evidence-Based Decision-Making series, review step-by-step how to use the tables and worksheets provided in the article "ritical Appraisal of Evidence: Synthesis and Recommendations." Keep the article, available here, open to help you follow along. For more information on the series, visit the collection available here.

In this episode of The AJN Podcast, lead authors Ellen Fineout-Overholt, PhD, RN, EBP-C, FNAP, FAAN, and Kerry A. Milner, APRN, FNP-BC, EBP-C, discuss the fourth article in the Evidence-Based Decision-Making (EBDM) series, "Critical Appraisal of Evidence for DNP-Prepared Nurses," which highlights the importance of collaborating with a librarian to retrieve the necessary evidence for answering clinical questions. It also covers the initial 2 stages of the critical appraisal process: rapid critical appraisal and evaluation. The article can be found here: https://journals.lww.com/ajnonline/fulltext/2024/10000/critical_appraisal_of_evidence_for_dnp_prepared.22.aspx Find the entire collection of EBDM articles and a repository of helpful tools associated with this series here: https://journals.lww.com/ajnonline/pages/collectiondetails.aspx?TopicalCollectionId=60

In this episode of The AJN Podcast, AJN senior clinical editor Christine Moffa speaks with professors Lisiane Pruinelli, PhD, MS, RN, FAMIA, and Jung In Park, PhD, RN, FAMIA. Resources: The American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA) 10x10 Virtual Programs offer a selection of health and nursing informatics courses in a convenient online format: https://amia.org/education-events/amia-10x10-virtual-courses NAILCollab: https://www.nailcollab.org FloGatorAI blog: https://nursing.ufl.edu/2024/10/15/welcome-to-flogatorai-where-nursing-ai-and-innovation-converge Dr. Pruinelli's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisianepruinelli and faculty webpage: https://nursing.ufl.edu/profile/pruinelli-lisiane

In this episode of The AJN Podcast, Kerry A. Milner, DNSc, APRN, FNP-BC, EBP-C, and Ellen Fineout-Overholt, PhD, RN, EBP-C, FNAP, FAAN return to discuss the third article in the Evidence-Based Decision-Making series, "Removing Persistent Barriers to Systematic Searching."  The article can be found here: https://journals.lww.com/ajnonline/abstract/2024/07000/removing_persistent_barriers_to_systematic.19.aspx The tools discussed in the episode and the article can be found in our Evidence-Based Decision-Making repository: https://journals.lww.com/ajnonline/Pages/Evidence-Based-Decision-Making-Series-Helpful-Tools.aspx.

In this episode of The AJN Podcast, American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) president Jennifer Adamski shares the AACN's latest initiatives, including new standards and a new theme, "Courage to Soar."

In this episode of The AJN Podcast, Deana Hays, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, Kerry A. Milner, DNSc, APRN, FNP-BC, EBP-C, and Ellen Fineout-Overholt, PhD, RN, EBP-C, FNAP, FAAN discuss the second article in the Evidence-Based Decision-Making series, "Clinical Inquiry and Problem Identification." Read the article here: https://journals.lww.com/ajnonline/fulltext/2024/05000/ clinical_inquiry_and_problem_identification.22.aspx.   The tools mentioned in the podcast and article can be found in the EBDM repository: https://journals.lww.com/ajnonline/Pages/Evidence-Based-Decision-Making-Series-Helpful-Tools.aspx. All of the articles in the Evidence-Based Decision-Making series can be found as a collection here: https://journals.lww.com/ajnonline/pages/collectiondetails.aspx?TopicalCollectionId=60. If you are following the series or using it with your students, AJN would love to hear your thoughts. Please send an email to [email protected].

Practical Guide to Legislative Change as a Registered Nurse 1.)    Learn about what level of government would make the changes you want to see. Find out: is this a federal, state, or local issue? ·         Federal government example: Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) reimbursement rates for advanced practice nurses ·         State government example: Scope of practice for advanced practice nurses   2.)    Figure out WHO are the elected officials that represent you at that level of government because you are their constituent. It is their job to listen to your concerns! Best website: https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials  ·         Federal legislators: One U.S. House of Representatives member (representing your congressional district, where you live in the state) and two senators (represent the entire state, not just your district) ·         State legislators: State house representative and state senator (typically both represent a district within your state) ·         Local officials: County/City Executive/Supervisor/Commissioners, etc.   3.)    Learn about your elected officials! For example, to learn more about your U.S. House member, look them up at https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative. Select their name to bring you to their personal House.gov website, which includes the member's committee assignments and their office's contact information. ·         Federal legislators will have at least two offices; one in Washington, DC, and one or more within the congressional district itself. Each office has federal congressional staffers working to address constituents' concerns and provide official follow-up. There are options to call, fax, e-mail, or speak with staff in-person. Within the district office, these staff members typically include a constituent service representative. ·         A U.S. House member specifically represents your district's needs (including you as a constituent) to Congress more so than U.S. Senators, as they represent your entire state's needs. 4.)    If you are interested in a state issue, please be aware that state representatives and senators are "part-time" legislators.  State legislative bodies typically meet in the first months of the year but occasionally are called back for special sessions. ·         This website shows upcoming state legislative schedules: https://documents.ncsl.org/wwwncsl/About-State-Legislatures/2024-sessions-calendar.pdf ·         Your state should have similar websites for its representatives and senators. These elected officials will likely have an office in your state's capitol and within the district where staffers are available to address constituent concerns. 5.)    It is important to be aware of your legislator's committee assignments and if they serve in any kind of leadership role. Do they sit on a health committee? Are they the chair of a committee? ·         Committee assignments often are related to the member's legislative areas of expertise and related to their professional background before running for elected office.  ·         Committees will be the first place legislative change will be introduced, debated, and voted on before coming to the full legislative body. Sadly, many bills "die" in committee and thus, support from these smaller groups is needed first! 6.)    Many organizations develop a form letter for you to send to a legislator regarding an issue or a specific bill.  ·         These are helpful but please be aware that if you cut/paste, sign, and send, your letter will be placed in a pile with the rest; depending on the size of the pile of form letters about one issue, this will impact how much attention the office and the elected official gives to a certain topic.  ·         Please take 5-10 minutes to personalize the form letter with your own experiences and always make sure to include in the first sentence that you are a constituent of the elected official (and maybe if you voted for them). Talk about how the congressional district is impacted by the issue specifically. ·         Provide your background as a nurse and your contact information so the legislative staff may follow up with you about your experience and your expertise on the subject. 7.)    Reach out to nursing organizations that may already be advocating for this issue. They may have a legislative "champion" that has sponsored bills in the past and is helping to move towards progress on this issue. ·         Some nursing organizations are allowed to hire lobbyists, and some organizations cannot because of their tax filing statuses. ·         Some nursing organizations have political action committees (PACs) that raise money to impact legislation.  ·         Nursing organizations can come together into coalitions in an effort to move forward complex legislative issues. 8.)    Get to know your legislators as individuals. Often this happens by volunteering your time to help them out. Frequently during campaign season.  ·         Volunteering is easy and fun. The campaign provides you with all the training and materials. You just provide your time and enthusiasm. ·         Examples: Phone banking (making phone calls to constituents), door knocking (walking around neighborhoods in the district, knocking on doors to offer information about the individual or leaving a hanger on their doorknob if not home or available), or different forms of fundraisers.