July 1, 2004 -- Surgical/trauma nurse Donna White, B.S.N., M.S.N., noticed that some of her aging patients became disoriented once they entered the hospital, a
condition that might cause them to fall and hurt themselves. With support from a fund established by Friends of the Health System, White investigated the problem and recently presented her findings at a national nursing conference. Her insights will translate into better patient care at U.Va. and, it is hoped, across the nation. Cindy Westley, co-chair of the Nurses Professional Development Council, said that the fund“ promotes continued growth and excellence of nursing knowledge within the professional nursing staff in the U.Va. Health System in a variety of ways.” Friends of the Health System includes individuals who wish to support the Health System with annual gifts from $1 – $999.

For more information, contact Nancy Scogna at scogna@virginia.edu or (434) 924-8432.