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COVID-19 & Nurse Scientists on the Front Line: Jason Farley

Jason Farley, PhD, MPH, ANP-BC, FAAN, AACRN
The Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing

Please describe your work with the COVID-19 pandemic.
My list of responsibilities include COVID-19 screening tent lead; COVID-19 healthcare worker screening; leading a research group designing serosurveillance approaches to evaluate community penetrance.

Please give us information about your background and history as a nurse scientist.
I am a professor of nursing, an infectious disease-trained nurse epidemiologist, and a nurse practitioner in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the Johns Hopkins Schools of Nursing and Medicine. My research seeks to streamline care approaches that optimize navigation, linkage, engagement, and retention in care for persons with infectious diseases, including studies designed to keep patients engaged in care over long periods of illness. I am the director and founder of the REACH Initiative serving Baltimore City residents living with and at risk for HIV and associated co-infections. I am a fellow in the American Academy of Nursing, most recently serving as chair of the Emerging Infectious Diseases Expert Panel. As a seasoned infection-prevention expert, I was part of a Johns Hopkins team evaluating the SARS response in China at an affiliated institution as well as country-level health system responses to tuberculosis and HIV. I also maintain a clinical practice as a nurse practitioner in the John G. Bartlett Specialty Clinic for Infectious Disease. I have previously served as a nurse infection-control epidemiologist for the Johns Hopkins Hospital.


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Nursing Community Coalition Steering Committee Sends Letter to Congress Outlining COVID-19 Legislative Priorities

On March 19, the Nursing Community Coalition Steering Committee sent a letter to House and Senate Leadership outlining the NCC's shared priorities for any COVID-19 legislative package. To download the letter, click here.

Nursing Community Coalition Statement on CARES Act Becoming Law

On March 27, the Nursing Community Coalition released a statement thanking Congress and the Administration for their quick and decisive action to pass and sign into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. To download the statement, click here.

CARES Act Passes Congress

The bipartisan Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic passed the Senate on March 27, 2020 and is headed to the President for his signature. The CARES act includes requirements for the inclusion of PPE in the Strategic National Stockpile, extra funding for NIH, and more that will assist healthcare workers on the front lines of the pandemic.

To read Research!America's statement, click here.

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FNINR and COVID19: Recognizing Nurse Scientists on the Front Line

FNINR is so proud of the work nurse scientists do every day. This drives FNINR's commitment to advocate for consistent and expanded funding for NINR. The research done by nurses and nurse scientists impacts every American and this is especially true as we battle the COVID-19 pandemic.

In an effort to shed light on some of the nurse scientist heroes impacting our country's fight to contain and eliminate the virus, FNINR is asking for stories of the nurse scientists on the front line of the COVID-19 pandemic so we can profile and highlight the work of these individuals and teams. If you are a nurse scientist working in this area, please fill out this brief form so we can highlight you and your work. Please feel free to share this link with colleagues.

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2020 NINR Director’s Lecture - Dr. Barbara Riegel Presents: “At the Intersection of Self-Management and Symptom Science”

April 29, 2020 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Clinical Center (Building 10) - Lipsett Amphitheater

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Registration for NINR’s Artificial Intelligence Boot Camp Opens April 1 Registration for NINR’s Artificial Intelligence Boot Camp Opens April 1

For more information, please visit: https://www.ninr.nih.gov/training/trainingopportunitiesintramural/bootcamp-2.

NINR Scientist Selected as One of 2020’s 40 Under 40 Leaders in Minority Health

Dr. Paule V. Joseph has been selected by the National Minority Quality Forum (NMQF) as one of 2020’s 40 Under 40 Leaders in Minority Health. The 40 award winners represent the next generation of thought leaders in reducing health disparities to build sustainable healthy communities. The 40 Under 40 recipients will receive their award at the 2020 NMQF Leadership Summit on Health Disparities and CBC Spring Health Braintrust Gala Dinner on Tuesday, April 28. 

Paule V. Joseph PhD, MS, FNP-BC, RN, CTN-B is a Tenure-Track Investigator and Chief of the Sensory Science and Metabolism Unit (SenSMet) in the NINR Division of Intramural Research. The SenSMet supports research into the fundamental mechanisms associated with chemosensory symptoms and metabolic conditions such as Type 2 diabetes, obesity, and related comorbidities.

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NCC Statement on Year of the Nurse and the Midwife Resolutions

On February 14, the Nursing Community Coalition released a statement thanking the United States Senate and House of Representatives for introducing S. Res. 500 and H. Res. 859, resolutions honoring the Year of the Nurse and the Midwife. To download the statement, click here.

NINR Acting Director’s Message on the Year of the Nurse and the Midwife

Dr. Tara Schwetz, Acting Director of NINR, issued a statement on the Year of the Nurse and the Midwife. Please see the message below.

The World Health Organization has designated 2020 the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife , indicating how vital nurses and midwives are to the health and well-being of our nation and the world. Since its founding, NINR has supported nurses in their mission to promote and improve health by funding research to build the foundation of evidence for their clinical practice.
In supporting nursing science across the US, in other countries, and on the NIH campus, NINR has championed critical programs of research that can answer questions raised by nurse scientists during their own clinical experiences. These research initiatives range from the birth experiences of first-time mothers, to diagnosis for traumatic brain injury, to the impact of palliative care for cancer patients and their caregivers, and so much more.
During 2020, NINR will host several special events to recognize the Year of the Nurse and the Midwife. You can stay up-to-date on these activities by following NINR on Twitter , visiting our website, and signing up for email updates.
We also invite you to NINR’s ongoing Director’s Lecture Series, which brings the nation’s top nurse scientists to the NIH campus to share their work and interests with a transdisciplinary audience.
I feel privileged to be a part of NINR during this commemorative year, and I look forward to celebrating the achievements of nurses, midwives, and nurse scientists with you throughout 2020.
Tara A. Schwetz, PhD
Acting Director, NINR

This message was published at https://www.ninr.nih.gov/aboutninr/directors-message.

NIH Seeks Input for NIH-Wide Strategic Plan

NIH is seeking feedback on the FY 2021-2025 NIH-Wide Strategic Plan Framework. To respond, please visit: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/rfi/rfi.cfm?ID=101.

 

NIH: Data and Technology Advancement National Service Scholar Program

There are job opportunities available at NIH for experienced data and computer science. To view more information, visit https://datascience.nih.gov/data-scholars.

Congress Honors the Year of the Nurse and the Midwife

FNINR, a member of the The Nursing Community Coalition (NCC), thanks the United States Senate and House of Representatives for introducing S. Res. 500 and H. Res. 859, resolutions honoring the Year of the Nurse and the Midwife.

To view the full statement from the Nursing Coalition Community, please click here to download the PDF.

National Science Board: The State of U.S. Science and Engineering 2020

The National Science Board (NSB) has released its 2020 The State of U.S. Science and Engineering. More information can be found here.

NCC Statement on President’s FY 2021 Proposed Budget

On February 10, the Nursing Community Coalition released a statement opposing the severe cuts made to key domestic and health care programs such as Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs and the National Institute of Nursing Research in the Administration’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 budget. To read the statement, click here.

Reearch!America: Investment Report: Investment in Medical and Health R&D Not Keeping Up with Needs of Nation

Research!America recently released its annual report on U.S. Investments in Medical and Health Research and Development. A synopsis from Research!America is below:

The report shows that total spending on medical and health R&D in the U.S. over the six-year reporting period grew by 36%, outpacing the 27% growth seen in total health spending (which predominantly consists of health care spending). Yet R&D spending is still a small fraction of overall health spending in the U.S.: only five cents of every health dollar in this country is spent on medical and health R&D. In 2018 specifically, only $194 billion was spent on this form of R&D, while total health spending was nearly $3.8 trillion. When examining which sectors invest the most in this research, industry led in 2018 spending 67% ($129 billion) of total U.S. medical and health R&D expenditures. The federal government followed at 22% or $43 billion, academic and research institutions invested 8% or $16 billion, foundations, voluntary health associations, and professional societies invested 2% or $3.8 billion, and finally state and local governments invested 1% or $2 billion. The report also breaks these entities down further and examines annual spending by subsectors and the percent growth of those expenditures over the six-year reporting period.
Despite the wide range of sectors that invest in medical and health R&D in this country, R&D is simply not keeping pace with the burden of disease.The report details that in the U.S. alone, almost 130,000 people die by the age 45 due to health threats that could one day be prevented or treated with the help of research. Furthermore, while the U.S. invested $194 billion dollars in medical and health R&D in 2018, chronic disease costs surpassed $1.1 trillion in the same year. When examining federal government expenditures, the report also shows that federal medical and health R&D spending consisted of only 1% of the federal budget in 2018, while national defense represented about 14%. But while the report makes clear there is room for improvement, it also explains, “It is not a matter of potential – across every sector described in this report, the talent and commitment exists to exponentially increase medical and public health progress. It is a matter of will.”

 

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2020 NINR Director’s Lecture - Dr. Randy Jones Presents: "Complex Decision Making in Prostate Cancer"

March 05, 2020 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Clinical Center (Building 10) - Lipsett Amphitheater

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Research!America-ASHG Survey Finds Americans Strongly Support Human Genetics Research

As genetics and genomics knowledge expands rapidly throughout research, medicine, and society, Americans are excited and optimistic about this area of research and its emerging health applications, according to a new survey released this week by the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) in partnership with Research!America.

The survey finds the large majority of Americans agree genetic knowledge will be important to their own health and their families’ health. Americans also express great curiosity about genetics, as well as interest in what it tells us about human history and our common heritage as a species, even as knowledge gaps persist. Americans agree that more research is needed in human genetics, and that increased federal funding for that research is important. The survey also confirms the importance placed on confidentiality and security of research data, addressing Americans’ views regarding genetic testing coverage, and highlighting opposition to the use of genetics for insurance coverage or rate-setting.

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Research!America: Federal Policy Update - February 2020

Research!America recently released a federal policy update regarding the FY 21 budget. To read the full article on Research!America's website, click here.

On December 19, 2019, Congress passed and the president signed legislation funding the federal government for the remainder of FY2020, avoiding a government shutdown. The legislation included increases of $2.6 billion for NIH, $636 million for CDC, $203 million for NSF, and $91 million for FDA. AHRQ received level funding for FY20 (relative to the significant cut included in the Senate bill, this was a favorable outcome). The appropriations legislation also empowered CDC to begin upgrading our nation’s outdated disease surveillance system, permanently repealed the medical device tax, and reauthorized the Patient-Centered Outcomes Institute (PCORI) for 10 years.
With last year’s budget agreement, Congressional leaders and the White House have already locked in overall government spending levels for FY 21 non-defense discretionary (NDD) and defense spending, setting the stage for the 12 appropriations bills that would flow from those topline numbers. Unfortunately, the agreement provides for just a $5 billion increase across all agencies and programs in the non-defense discretionary category. 
These circumstances create challenges for Congress, but Research!America and the medical and health research advocacy community plan to continue to make the case for robust funding increases for science and public health agencies, since the dynamics created by the caps deal do not change the reality that medical, public health and scientific progress are not assigned the priority merited by their enduring and compounding national and global impact.
The President’s FY21 budget, which is nonbinding, will be unveiled on February 10. There is a rumored possibility that congressional leaders will attempt to expedite the appropriations process, working to wrap up FY21 funding by early summer. This being an election year further muddies the appropriations process outlook. For that reason, Research!America is launching a social media campaign making the case for an expedited appropriations process that includes the funding needed to secure our nation’s at-risk global R&D leadership.

 

NINR Advisory Council Video

Presentations given at the public session of the National Advisory Council for Nursing Research on January 14, 2020 are now available to view on the NINR YouTube channel.

To watch the video on YouTube, click here.