MOOCs courses offered by JHUSON concentrate on Dementia and TB

An aging population and an old health scourge are the driving forces behind two massive open online courses (MOOCs) being offered this fall by the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing (JHUSON).

TB's Deadly Touch

Though today relatively rare in the United States, "tuberculosis remains the leading cause of death globally among patients with HIV," says Jason E. Farley, PhD, MPH, CRNP, who adds for emphasis that TB is the leading cause of death—period—in South Africa.

Farley will teach Global Tuberculosis (TB) Clinical Management and Research, a nine-week, "state-of-the-art clinical and research course" for students interested in tuberculosis and TB/HIV co-infection. Enrollees will learn how to plan and deliver effective care and also address today's most challenging research efforts in communities across the world.

Farley, a researcher and nurse practitioner recently named a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing (FAAN), has worked on evaluating treatment outcomes in patients with multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in South Africa. His team of researchers completed a countrywide assessment of knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to infection control in hospitals in South Africa and he is involved in developing models of care to increase patient access to treatment for MDR-TB in the country.

Global Tuberculosis (TB) Clinical Management and Research—offered on the popular openware course platform Coursera on behalf of JHUSON--begins September 30. The anticipated workload is two to four hours per week.

Dealing With Dementia

As the nation ages, there is both a tremendous need and a tremendous opportunity for those who provide quality care to the elderly. Through Care of Elders with Alzheimer's Disease and Other Major Neurocognitive Disorders, Nancy Hodgson, PhD, RN, and Laura Gitlin, PhD, will explore the latest knowledge in and approaches in dementia care. This new MOOC offers an overview of Alzheimer's and related dementias as well as the impact on quality of life for individuals affected by the disease and their families. "This is a course for anybody interested in learning about dementia and quality care. It is also designed to provide foundational knowledge for health professional students and practitioners including nurses, social workers, psychologists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, and health care administrators," Gitlin says. "But it is also for anybody interested in learning more about dementia care."

Gitlin and Hodgson are internationally recognized researchers for their work in applied gerontology. Each has over 25 years of experience in nonpharmacologic approaches to caring for persons with dementia.

The five-week MOOC—also on Coursera—begins October 14. The anticipated workload is three to five hours per week.