Springer Publishing Company was regrettably late in starting the publication of journals. Matt Fenton managed the production department, and responded to any small problem with instant help. The management of journal publishing is somewhat different from that of book publishing. In addition to the informational value of the contents and the financial income to the publisher, the journals bring repeated publicity about the publisher to readers. At the psychology convention of 1986 a small group of the authors gathered near our exhibit booth for no particular reason. Dr. Eisenberg provided good advice through the years on manuscripts suitable for our Series in Rehabilitation. The first nursing journal was established: Scholarly Inquiry in Nursing Practice. The readers of the journal were the readers of Springer nursing books, those who aspired to advancing the profession through research, education, or innovative practices.

During the 1960s Bernhard had some connections with British publishers. When traveling to Europe he would stop in London to visit Heinemann a prestigious publisher of medical, nursing, and psychology books. The author intended to expand Springer Publishing activities into the international sphere. The author decided the first step was finding expert guidance. They did arrange some international sales of their books. Many appointments with distributors and foreign editors buying translation rights were regular events year after year. Much food and wine were offered in informal self-service style, crowded with few chairs to rest on, so people milled around, and meeting other people of interest was quite easy. Igaku Shoin took many of their nursing books for publication in Japanese editions. Their sales were surprisingly low. Although leading European professionals in gerontology, psychology, and health care were well informed on American advances and publications in these fields.

In the mid-1970s, aging became a popular, even a fashionable topic. Professors made efforts to add gerontology to their teaching competence. And many colleges introduced courses in gerontology, or courses on aging-related aspects within the fields of psychology, sociology, psychiatry, public health, and nursing. Jack Bot-winick published in 1973 his textbook Aging and Behavior, with a new edition in 1978 and a third one in 1984. For the planning of future volumes the board had regular meetings held at the annual conventions of the Gerontological Society of America (G.S.A.), usually one of the mornings. This project lived and continues through 28 years and brought much prestige, good new authors, and some money to Springer. The large field was subdivided into its disciplines: psychology, psychiatry, medicine, nursing, public health, social work; and the expert board members were asked to assemble lists of terms that should form the body of the encyclopedia.

The author began her community nursing career as a Health Visitor in a low-income multicultural area of London. In 1976, she took off to Thailand with an English nongovernmental organization (NGO) as part of a four-person medical team to establish health services in a Laotian refugee camp. While she struggled with microbiology and immunology, her training as a health visitor put her far ahead of her medical colleagues in such areas as community health, teaching, and psychology. When the Ministry of Health (MOH) requested a WHO nursing consultant to develop a Primary Health Care (PHC) focused Public Health Nurse training, she immediately got involved. She was determined that urban nurses would never again look down on rural patients and would tailor their preparation for discharge to the conditions to which their patients returned. The community health module was strengthened to better address the issue of rising non-communicable disease rates.

Pediatric obesity is a growing problem worldwide. Both the incidence and prevalence of overweight and obese children have increased. Advanced practice nurses (APNs) should realize that one must address weight at an early age. Pediatric obesity affects children and adolescents and is a serious condition that must be addressed. It is determined when the child is above his or her weight for the appropriate age and height. Risk factors that increase a child’s likelihood of becoming overweight and/or obese can include any of the following: diet, lack of exercise, psychological factors, family history or family factors, or socioeconomic factors. Children who suffer with weight gain should engage in physical activity. Parental instruction and family activity time are also helpful. With a child and family involved, family counseling may be beneficial to all. The provider must establish an early relationship with the patient and family and work to gain trust.

At the international level, perinatal palliative care constitutes a new clinical practice where challenges such as prognostic uncertainty exist, and infant survival and quality of life may be unknown. This chapter explores the perceptions and professional practices of clinicians who work with parents who wish to continue a pregnancy diagnosed with a life-limiting fetal condition despite the uncertainty corresponding to the postnatal condition of a newborn. It outlines results from a qualitative focus group addressing professionals’ perceptions of what constitutes a lethal fetal pathology and emotional reaction to such diagnoses. The chapter then presents results from a French national-level investigation exploring clinicians’ perceptions and professional practices and lists clinician-reported criteria in which palliative care should be available and clinician-reported barriers. It explains the psychosocial approach to lethal fetal abnormalities using the perinatal professional’s palliative approach and discusses recent developments and ethical considerations surrounding perinatal palliative care in France.

This chapter examines beliefs about death and dying and its influence on care provision to members of culturally diverse groups. It discusses variations in attitudes regarding advanced directives, life support, disclosure of diagnosis, and the designation of decision makers during terminal illness. The chapter identifies variations in beliefs, practices, and traditions during death and dying experiences between culturally diverse groups. The chapter assesses the psychological, cultural, spiritual, and/or religious factors influencing the death and dying experience of members of culturally diverse groups. It examines selected cultural practices related to the care of the body and burial after death. The chapter describes the impact of attitudinal barriers impacting the death and dying experience of patients with HIV/AIDS. Finally the chapter addresses American Association for Colleges of Nursing (AACN) end-of-program competencies for baccalaureate nursing education.

The management of psychosocial effects begins with a sound plan to mitigate the adverse impact of the disaster on the emotional, cognitive, and behavioral capacity of the individual. Involvement of mental health professionals, such as psychiatric nurse practitioners and clinical nurse specialists, should begin with the development of the community or agency disaster plan. Management of the psychosocial effects of disaster will continue long after the initial impact. Psychological first aid is an evidence-informed approach designed to reduce distress in the immediate aftermath of a disaster and foster adaptive functioning and coping. Major depression and PTSD can be disabling consequences of exposure to disaster among those of any age group, thus, early diagnosis and treatment are critical to the prevention of future disability. There is a growing body of research identifying that effective treatment for PTSD and cognitive behavioral approaches along with exposure therapy are most likely to be beneficial.

Functional outcomes are of primary importance in the geriatric population. Thus, a comprehensive geriatric assessment is focused on wellness, independence, and physical performance as well as the complexity of multiple chronic health conditions encountered in the elderly population. A thorough exam is best performed with an interprofessional team with the goal of coordinated and patient-centered care. The goal of a geriatric assessment is to develop a plan of care that will account for medical concerns, functional status, and psychosocial considerations. A well-conducted geriatric assessment requires preparation to account for environment, communication, patient needs, and patient–provider rapport. The geriatric examination is fundamental to appropriate treatment decisions, early identification of health and safety issues, and ongoing support for the well-being of aging patients. The environment, assessment approach, and decision-making processes should all focus on the goals of function, well-being, and holistic care.