Kentucky Nurses Foundation


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 The Kentucky Nurses Foundation (KNF) established in 1975 as a 501 (c)(3) status foundation, has both a contractual and professional relationship with the Kentucky Nurses Association to enhance achievement of the strategic goals of both organizations. The Kentucky Nurses Foundation has a long history of supporting nursing scholarship and research. The foundation’s current strategic efforts to recruit research partners would enable special community projects that support outcomes based research initiatives. “Nurses for the Health of the Commonwealth” is the focus of both organizations and provides the framework for all research initiatives.

Mission

The mission of the Kentucky Nurses Foundation is to promote the highest level of health for the citizens of the Commonwealth of Kentucky by advancing the practice of nursing through healthcare research.

Strategies
  • Provide funding and resources for nursing research that will improve healthcare
    outcomes in Kentucky.
  • Enable the application and dissemination of the new knowledge from research through professional development of nurses in Kentucky in cooperation with the Kentucky Nurses Association and other organizations.
  • Recruit and sustain a committed and visionary community based partnerships to fund research projects.
Community Based Partnership Initiatives

The World Health Organization defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well being”. As health care has become more complex and multidimensional in scope, the profession of nursing has expanded. Nurses strive to improve the quality and efficacy of care in a variety of settings and populations through the development of a dynamic foundation of scientific knowledge. Because of the rapid changes in the health field brought about through technology and research, the nurse in the society of the future must develop strategies that integrally link research and evidence based practice to meet the evolving needs of our citizens.

In recognition of this ongoing need, the Kentucky Nurses Foundation (KNF) is taking a bold new direction to providing direct support for nursing research that has the potential to advance health care outcomes in the Commonwealth. KNF is actively recruiting community partnerships to fulfill this mission. Partners may make any number of contributions to the effort—from research and design to funding that supports the research initiative.

Priority Health Needs in Kentucky

Descriptive research in unexplored areas and studies related to the effectiveness of preventive approaches and interventions are needed. Analysis of multiple data sources indicates that the citizens of Kentucky have identifiable priorities for health care research initiatives in the following substantive areas:
  • Aging
  • Violence/Substance Abuse
  • Adolescent Health
  • Minority Health Issues
  • Cancer
  • Respiratory/Smoking
  • Cardiovascular
  • Women’s Health/Maternal Child Health
  • Diabetes
Enhancing patient outcomes is one of the primary goals of nursing practice. Nurses influence an array of outcomes in multiple settings. Outcomes for nursing research projects may include strategies that:
  • Improve emotional status, coping ability, and social functioning.
  • Enhance functional status, e.g., improved mobility and ability to perform activities of daily living and self-care.
  • Improve home functioning, e.g., reduction in caregiver strain and enhanced social support.
  • Provide a safe environment, e.g., prevention of falls and safe use of medical devices in
    the home.
  • Enhance knowledge regarding disease prevention, treatment and health promotion.
  • Control of symptoms such as pain and nausea.
  • Enhanced quality of life.
  • Increase cost-effectiveness of healthcare.
Criteria for Foundation Projects
  • Demonstrates tangible outcomes in health care,
  • Uses nursing knowledge to exert a positive force on nursing and health of Kentucky citizens,
  • Generate research findings that nurses can incorporate into practice,
  • Provides vision and funding for relevant nursing research,
  • Contributes to a dynamic knowledge base for nursing practice,
  • Partners with KNF and KNA and other communities in advancing nursing practice,
    and/or
  • Supports strategies for integrating research and practice.

Partnership Invitation

The Kentucky Nurses Foundation is seeking partners to fund and conduct outcomes focused nursing research projects. KNF will cooperate with funding sources to determine the priorities and fund the grant requests as available resources permit.

In summary, KNF and KNA and other relevant community partners will fund nursing research projects that meet specified outcome criteria. As consumer advocates, the partners together will seek to improve the Health of the Commonwealth by funding and disseminating research findings that support evidence based practice.

For more information, please contact the RN, Executive Director, Kentucky Nurses Association at (502) 637-2546, toll free at (800) 348-511 or email info@kentucky-nurses.org