Nursing | Penn Today

A soft robot mimicking octopus skin, to develop the basis for a new type of soft robot.

Engineers and nurses team up to build inflatable robots

Penn Engineering and Penn Nursing’s collaboration in this new area of “soft robotics” is critical for designing machines that can safely interact with people in health care settings.

Cancer patients’ desire to avoid opioids puts them at risk of harm including overdose, Penn study finds

Salimah H. Meghani of the School of Nursing led a study that found that opioid mismanagement, such as going on and off the drugs or stockpiling pills, may expose patients to harm.

Why mandated nurse-to-patient ratios have become one of the most controversial ideas in health care

Linda Aiken of the School of Nursing said that mandated nurse-to-patient ratios result in fewer complications, infections, and injuries, as well as lower mortality rates.

Person holding a packet of prescription pills and a glass of water

Seven years later, PrEP access remains a challenge

Getting PrEP in the hands of high-risk communities remains a challenge; Penn researchers and practitioners are finding ways to reduce barriers and investigate new forms of the drug.

A black-and-white image of health care professionals standing around a patient in a surgical suite during the Vietnam War.

Working hand in hand with the nation’s largest integrated care system

In a unique partnership, Penn Nursing collaborates with the Veterans Health Administration on a range of issues, from pain management to end-of-life care.

Person standing at a large window with a bookshelf behind. ON the bookshelf are several awards and plaques.

As a nursing innovator, Therese Richmond thinks beyond hospital walls

During a four-decade career, Penn Nursing’s associate dean for research and innovation has tackled topics like gun violence by accounting for her patients’ environment in their long-term recovery.

A home health care aide sits at a kitchen table with a person and applies a blood pressure cuff, home health visits reduce sepsis readmission.

Improving outcomes for sepsis patients

More than 1 million sepsis survivors are discharged annually from acute care hospitals in the United States. Although the majority of these patients receive post-acute care services, with more than a third coming to home health care, sepsis survivors account for a majority of readmissions nationwide.

person in wheelchair looks out the window, elder in an eldercare facility with a lack of nurses present.

Nursing home nurses lack time and resources for complete care

Evidence from hospitals has shown for years that nurses are more likely to leave necessary patient care undone when employed in settings with insufficient staff and resources. This “missed care” has been linked to poor care quality.

Nurses in nursing homes say they can’t finish their work and many feel burned out

Elizabeth White, Linda Aiken, and Matthew McHugh of the School of Nursing led a study of nurse burnout in nursing facilities. “I think that this just kind of raises an alarm,” said White. “Nurses are saying that they just don't have the time and resources to do all the care that needs to be done.”

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