Family AcademyThe Family Academy will help

parents raise their children to be healthy, happy, and ready for school by providing:

Support Resources Education

Over 60 families are being served in the Family Academy. A database has been developed and implemented to track progress

Cardiac Diagnostics Using Sophisticated Fluid Mechanics Techniques

An analytical tool was developed to characterize cardiac flow. The tools measure various flow parameters including the propulsive efficiency of the mitral inflow as a means of describing cardiac health, cardiac disease stages and heart failure. This work could lead to a commercializable and sophisticated cardiac diagnostic tool.

Chronic Illness Strategies ClinicThe purpose of the Chronic Illness Strategies Clinic is to empower individuals with chronic illnesses to manage their disease, prevent acute exacerbations, delay further decline and maximize quality of life. It will be designed as an adjunct to primary care services, and will provide innovative, evidence-based multi-disciplinary strategies not feasible in primary care settings today.

Creation of a Simulation CenterA simulation center has the potential to provide regional services to enhance education/practice partnerships by providing staff development and continuing education for area health care providers.

Development of an Immunoassay for Human Tear Lacritin

Lacritin is a natural human tear protein being developed as a new topical therapeutic to treat dry eye, microbial infections, and corneal wound healing. In conjunction with this, a team is developing an ELISA-based immunoassay to detect lacritin and variants of lacritin in human tears. They are interested in obtaining tear samples from healthy individuals as well as individuals with ocular infections or diseases.

a = tear gland / lacrimal glandb = superior lacrimal punctumc = superior lacrimal canald = tear sac / lacrimal sace = inferior lacrimal punctumf = inferior lacrimal canalg = nasolacrimal canal

Energy Conservation - Alternative Fuel Showcase

A power company may provide grant money dependent upon consumer education provided by RMH, perhaps in collaboration with JMU.

The left pot is burning diesel fuel. The right is burning biodiesel fuel.

Evidence Based Practice - Developing a Collaborative Model for Scholarship

EBP promotes the collection, interpretation, and integration of valid and applicable patient-reported, clinician-observed, and research-derived evidence. Research/workshops linked to topics identified by clinical nurses include:Foley catheters in the ORUmbilical cord carePain management in the confused

patientScopolamine patches and nausea

and more

Functional Mapping of Hospital CostsResearchers would use mathematical modeling to calculate functional distances between various costs for a number of patients as the difference between the billed amounts. Multidimensional scaling would then reduce the complexity of those data to a two-dimensional graphical depiction.

Result: insight into how costs accrue, and in the recognition of different patterns in different patients. Eventually this model should help predict what resources will be needed.

Harrisonburg Community Health CenterRMH and JMU, in collaboration with the Healthy Community Council, are providing support to a Federally Qualified Community Health Center (FQHC) in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County. The practice is busy and growing, with 3 physicians, 2 nurse practitioners and 10 other staff persons. They are currently engaged in a strategic planning process.

Integrative HealthGoal: Collaborate in

developing integrative health education and practiceExamples underway:

Continuing medical education session offered through RMH

Mindfulness based stress reduction collaborative research project

Center for Voice and Swallowing Assessment and Treatment

The center, a collaboration between physicians in the region, the RMH, and JMU faculty, will provide previously unavailable specialized services for the Shenandoah Valley region to serve patients with voice, speech and swallowing disorders

Modeling Waiting Times in the Emergency Department

Using Emergency Department data from RMH in a constructed cartography model to determine patient flow and ultimately reduce any bottlenecks.

Training: Assessing and Managing Suicide Risk

Designed for RMH and college campus mental health clinicians

Goal: increase suicide prevention preparedness

Video games for balance rehabilitation

JMU researchers wish to collaborate with RMH by testing participants in a balance study using the Wii and Wii Fit video gaming system

Workshops/Education sessions on environmental sustainability

JMU Scholars are available for group discussion and education:Wetland

preservation Water/soil

management Integrated

medicine with healthy environment

Recycling wastes

Learning Tour of RMH HardwareTour of RMH facilities

by interested Computer Information Systems faculty in order to learn more about the computer hardware being used

Objectives include acquisition of outgoing RMH hardware for JMU student learning activities as well as identification of research possibilities

Medical Imaging for JMU AthleticsOnsite x-ray services for JMU’s student-athletes at athletic events

Teaching/Learning CollaborationAdjunct appointmentsGuest lecturesClinical teaching

Touchscreen Computer KiosksGoal: help persons of low literacy by

improving access to effective, high quality health information

Recycling at RMH Collaborative effort of JMU’s Institute for Stewardship of the Natural World and RMH Surgical services

Health Literacy GameGoal: Educate community health workers and others

LEED Certification Educational DVD

Helping to inform and enlighten the greater Harrisonburg population to understand the benefits for becoming LEED certified

Human Resource ProjectsVideo on peer interviewing proceduresVideo orientation for new hires at RMH

Journal ClubFocus on topics of interest to clinical nurses on units

Chronic Illness Strategies ClassesA 6-week educational program for persons

with chronic illnesses covers nutrition, exercise, use of medications, evaluating new treatment options, effective communication, and strategies for addressing problems.

Outcomes include: decreased days in the hospital, improvement in health behaviors and health status.