Nursing professor to be published in Nursing Research

(SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY – JUNE 4, 2024) Justin Pascucci ’19, assistant professor in the School of Nursing and Allied Health, will publish research about the implementation of an age-friendly health system in the June edition of the peer-reviewed journal Nursing Research.

Pascucci’s research, part of his doctoral work, centers on the “Four M’s” in health care. He recently presented this research in Boston at the Eastern Research Nursing Society Annual Conference.

“The four M’s are mentation, mobility, what matters, and medications for patients who are 65 years and older and their caregivers as well if they’re involved in their care,” Pascucci said.

Pascucci said analyzing factors related to the health care of older adults is crucial as the population grows exponentially. His research focuses on creating pathways to maintain care by bringing together evidence-based tools already utilized in various systems.

“It makes health care organizations focus their energy a little bit differently,” he said. “It makes them focus on allocating different resources, figuring out how to maintain care while also transitioning to possibly having to provide more care.” 

In addition to presenting and publishing this research externally, Pascucci is bringing it into the classroom, teaching students in the School of Nursing and Allied Health how to prepare for the future of the health care field and put community first.

“I think what’s important is that students see the people who are mentoring them are not only teachers, but they are active members of the community,” Pascucci said. “They are helping other organizations, like hospitals in my case, to evolve overall and amp up their care in the way that we treat people. I think students seeing that also inspires them to take initiative and take action to do the same in the future.”

Pascucci said his research ties into the ways health care is changing, shifting to prioritize population-specific care. While that shift comes with challenges, Pascucci said students at Empire State University are well prepared.

“What’s going to be a challenge is figuring out how we get more nurses at the bedside,” Pascucci said. “Those degrees prepare people to not only to maintain being a nurse, but to take it a step further, to conduct research, do projects, become active in hospitals, their communities, their schools.”