Melanie R. Krause, MS, RN

Office Address: H6/292 - Clinical Science Center
600 Highland Ave.
Madison, WI, 53792
Office Phone: 608/262-3057
Email: mrkrause@wisc.edu

DEGREE INFORMATION:

DESCRIPTION OF RESEARCH FOCUS:

Little is known about the impact of resident-centered care (RCC) on nursing home (NH) residents. Few studies have examined resident outcomes and all but 1 exclusively examined quality indicators, ignoring quality of life (Bowers, Krause, Nolet & Tischer, forthcoming). The research has somewhat supported the effectiveness of the RCC for decreasing staff turnover, decreasing the incidence of resident infections, increasing resident longevity and improving certain quality indicators, namely falls, immunization rates, restraint use, skin, pain management and resident mobility (Kehoe & Heesch, 2003; Stone, et al., 2002; Tomas, 1994, 1996). Interestingly, neither of these evaluations examined quality of life. Even the Eden Alternative, whose primary goal was to make an impact on resident quality of life, was evaluated through examining quality indicators and infection rates. The outcomes measured are, therefore, inconsistent with model. Since a central tenet of RCC is improving resident quality of life, research examining whether RCC actually does improve quality of life is needed. The specific aims of my dissertation study are to examine1) How the specific principles of resident-centered care (RCC) are implemented by nurses in NHs, 2) How nurse implementation of RCC varies within facilities, 3) How implementation of RCC differs across specific approaches, 4) How implementation of RCC is conceptualized and facilitated (or impeded) by upper-level nurse managers, and 5) Whether nurse implementation of RCC has an impact on how NH residents’ perceived quality of life. Accomplishing these aims will help me to expand and clarify the preliminary model explaining how nurses implement RCC and the impact on residents developed during the preliminary study.

MAJOR ADVISOR:

Barbara J. Bowers, PhD, RN, FAAN

SECONDARY AREA OF CONCENTRATION:

Industrial Engineering

SECONDARY AREA ADVISOR:

David Zimmerman, PhD

REPRESENTATIVE PUBLICATIONS/PRESENTATIONS

Publications in Print

**Krause, M.R. & Buckwalter, K.C. (2007). Book review: Matteson & McConnell’s

gerontological nursing: Concepts and practice, 3rd edition. Journal of Gerontological

Nursing, 33(5).

Krause, M.R. (2006). Letter to the editor: In regards to AB 869. Nursingmatters 17(2),

28-29.

Krause M.R. (2006). Stat bulletin Medication administration in a resident-centered nursing

home. American Journal of Nursing, 75(2): 6.

Government Reports

Commonwealth Fund (2004). Resident Assessment Protocol (RAP) Workgroup Final

Report. Washington, D.C.: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Internal Reports

McKenzie-Green, B., Bowers, B.J., Krause, M.R., Yeboah, C., & Hogan, R. (2006). The

Impact of Relocation on Prague House Residents and Staff. Melbourne: Australian Catholic University School of Nursing.

Paper Presentations

*Stone, R., Bowers, B.J., Krause, M.R., Medvene, L., Stegemann, L. (2007 July).

Challenges and Strategies: Implementing Resident Centered Care. Symposium submission for the International Association for Homes and Services for the Aging Conference in St. Julian,

Malta.