Barbara J Riegel, DNSc, RN, CS, FAAN, studies the impact of heart failure on older patients. Heart failure is a disease which remains the most common cardiac diagnosis in elders and one of the major reasons for hospital admission. Dr. Riegel provides national and international leadership in clinical research with this patient population. She is widely known for her studies of heart failure self-care and disease management. Barbara Riegel is a dedicated teacher, mentor, an outstanding, internationally renowned scholar and active campus citizen.

Dr. Corrine Jurgens' research focuses on factors affecting symptom awareness and care-seeking among patients with heart failure. This research stems from her experience with patients repeatedly admitted with acute heart failure. She often noted that patients failed to recognize their symptoms or delayed seeking care despite being acutely ill for relatively long periods of time. Dr. Jurgens has extensive experience in critical care, cardiac rehabilitation, and health promotion which provides a broad understanding of the problems and complexities of self-care for patients over the continuum of health and illness. As an educator and a nurse practitioner, Dr. Jurgens is committed to improving the care for elderly with heart failure by empowering them to manage their illness more effectively.

Dr. Jurgens program of research, "Readmission Factors among Community Dwelling Patients with Heart Failure" will explore the effect of a patient's environment, social setting, and cognitive processes on symptom recognition and care-seeking. With the support of a John A. Hartford Scholarship she will study patient's perceptions of symptoms and self-care prior to hospitalization for symptom management. The study is important in developing effective interventions to improve quality of life and to decrease emergent admissions, particularly for those who do not participate in heart failure management programs. Dr. Jurgens will work in collaboration with Penn's Hartford Center for Geriatric Nursing Excellence, Penn's School of Nursing, and Stony Brook University.

Dr. Jurgens is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the School of Nursing at Stony Brook University. As an undergraduate coordinator, she has directed several courses and worked with other faculty members to increase geriatric content throughout the undergraduate curriculum. She also works with undergraduate and graduate students in clinical, the classroom, and on research.

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