The February issue of AJN is now live. Here are some highlights.

In this issue, a review article (CE credit available), “Nurses in the Fight to End Food Insecurity: An Integrative Review,” synthesizes and analyzes findings of nurse-involved studies that address food insecurity, identifying key interventions and outcomes across diverse health care and community settings.

Notably, there are a number of open access articles in this issue:

“Assessing Discharge Readiness and Influencing Factors Among Patients with Aortic Dissection: A Cross-Sectional Study” is an original research (and open access) article. The authors note that this study “revealed that patients with aortic dissection generally had discharge readiness scores at the lower end of the moderate range, indicating the need for improvement. It’s imperative that health care providers emphasize patient education prior to discharge and develop and implement personalized discharge plans.”

The second open access original research article in our February issue is “An Examination of Factors Affecting Bowel Preparation for Colonoscopy: A Meta-Analysis.” According to the authors, “Health care providers, including nurses, should consider these determinants of bowel preparation effectiveness and implement appropriate interventions in a timely manner to enhance patient education and care.”

Our professional development article this month is also open access: “The Mountain Model for Evidence-Based Practice Program Evaluation and Policy Analysis.” This model “offers a robust and adaptable framework to guide nurses through EBPQI [evidence-based practice quality improvement] initiatives, program evaluations, and policy-focused projects. It integrates a foundation of research and high-quality evidence with methodologies to ensure comprehensive, systematic approaches for achieving meaningful, scalable improvements in health care and education.”

The Viewpoint, “Teaching DNP Students Evidence-Based Practice and Quality Improvement” (open access), is a call for nursing schools to stop teaching DNP students to do :small research projects” that do not prepare them to take their place as much-needed agents of local change in our health care system. Instead, the authors argue, the focus should be on learning about conducting quality improvement (QI) and evidence-based practice. They also argue for a rigorous clarification among all stakeholders of the often misleading language used to talk about the DNP role.

Our editorial column this month (always free) is given over to sharing an important letter to Congress asserting nursing’s right to be classified as a “profession” for the purposes of higher student loan limits. We encourage you to read about the negative consequences for nursing of a recent Department of Education decision and click the link to the American Nurses Association petition, which all nurses should sign.

Cover image

On this month’s cover, we are featuring a mixed-media illustration called Hunger’s Daughter, by Monte Michener. The piece, according to Michener, was inspired by “the stark realities of starvation in places like Darfur, contrasted with the excess often seen during the holiday season in the United States.”

Our Reflections column, “You are Safe With Me: Preserving a Mother’s Dignity,” is by a nurse whose mother has Alzheimer’s disease. In it, she reflects on what it really takes for a nurse to provide “person-centered care,” especially when the patient is a family member.

Finally, don’t miss the extensive health care news section, the Drug Watch and Journal Watch departments, and the Specialty Spotlight.

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You can subscribe to AJN, America’s oldest (125 years and counting) general interest nursing journal, for just $52.00 for a year (12 issues), whether for yourself or as a gift. AJN stands out from other nursing journals for the variety and timeliness of its content, the rigor of its review and editing, and the continuing attention to appearance, including covers that often feature original and vivid artwork and illustrations. Visit us online at https://ajnonline.com.