Nursing

Heath Schmidt of the School of Nursing explains how addictive drugs such as cocaine and opioids are generally thought to “hijack” the brain’s natural reward pathways and why semaglutide is complicated in relation to addiction.

Penn Medicine CEO Kevin Mahoney supports a bill to impose nurse-staffing minimums on Pennsylvania hospitals, while nurse leaders of nearly every other health system in the Philadelphia area have signed a letter in opposition.

Linda Aiken of the School of Nursing says that nurse-ratio legislation has improved patient care and staffing shortages.

Colleen Tewksbury of the School of Nursing says that caffeine may increase total calorie output for some people but shouldn’t be expected to have a major impact on weight or daily calorie balance.

Lauren Massimo of the School of Nursing says that the surrounding environment is extremely important when talking to someone with Alzheimer’s.

Trustee and alumnus William Lauder of the Wharton School is profiled for his investments in Philadelphia’s educational institutions, including a landmark gift from the Lauder family to the School of Nursing.

Kenrick Cato of the School of Nursing says, “AI should be used as clinical decision support and not to replace the expert. Hospital administrators need to understand there are lots of things an algorithm can’t see in a clinical setting.”

Research by Linda Aiken of the School of Nursing suggested that standardizing nurse-to-patient ratios could prevent deaths, save hospitals money, and boost patient satisfaction.

In an opinion article, Margaret Lowenstein of the Perelman School of Medicine and Shoshana Aronowitz of the School of Nursing, both senior fellows at the Leonard Davis Institute, write about the need for bold action in the fight against opioids in Philadelphia.