Geriatric Nursing: Burggraf Receives $245,000 Grant
Improving Senior health care in the New River Valley
By Sarah Swedberg

VIRGINIA BURGGRAF

Radford University nursing professor Virginia Burggraf received a $245,000 Comprehensive Geriatric Nursing grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to continue RU's geriatric nursing program. HRSA first awarded Burggraf funds in 2003 to educate students in geriatric nursing.

The current three-year grant for 2006 through 2009 will maintain gerontological nursing continuing education in all areas of care, including: acute and home care, hospice, long-term care and mental health. Development of curriculum and graduate student help in clinical areas will address the health care needs of the community, since 17 percent of people in the New River Valley are aged 60 years and older. The grant will also allow the extension of an annual nursing conference for Registered Nurses (RNs), Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs), Certifi ed Nursing Assistants (CNAs) and students held at the Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center. Previous topics of the conference have included Elder Abuse, Restraint Free Environments and Mental Frailty.

Burggraf's ultimate goal is mentoring graduate students to continue meeting the needs of the community. "One has a Burggraf Receives $245,000 Grant Improving Senior health care in the New River Valley. responsibility as an advanced practice nurse to address, within a designated specialty, the needs of the population served," Burggraf said. "This is done through direct care, education, research and publication."

In addition to being a distinguished faculty member, Burggraf is also a grant writer, beginning with the American Nurses Association in 1991. "With war waging and scarce funds available, I am grateful to the Federal Government for providing RU's School of Nursing with these funds to expand our efforts to meet the needs of the older adults in Southwest Virginia."