Janet C. Mentes, PhD, APRN, FGSA, FAAN

“Dehydration is a complicating condition that increases the likelihood of hospitalization of many common diseases of older adults, including congestive heart failure, cancer treatments, and diabetes. By detecting dehydration early, we have the potential to reduce costly hospitalizations and improve the quality of life for older adults.”

In her research at UCLA, Janet C. Mentes has worked to improve the care of older adults, primarily in oral hydration, oral care, and delirium detection and management. Her current research focuses on early detection and management of dehydration in community and institutional settings. Dr. Mentes has demonstrated that urine color and saliva analysis can be effectively and easily employed in nursing homes. Three products have resulted from her research: a Hydration Management Protocol (available from the University of Iowa), a urine color chart for evaluating hydration status in nursing home residents, as well as a systematic classification of hydration problems for those residents. Dr. Mentes is the co-director of the Center for Advancement of Gerontological Nursing Research (AGNS) and a Director at Large of the National Hartford Center of Gerontological Nursing Excellence. She evaluates a mentorship program aimed at increasing the number of nurses with PhDs from diverse backgrounds, to decrease health disparities among the underrepresented minority groups.

Areas of Scholarly Expertise and Interest

Gerontological nursing, psychiatric nursing, dehydration, AGNS, oral hydration, Hydration Management Protocol 

Faculty Research and Clinical Expertise

Research: Improving the care of older adults, primarily in areas of oral hydration, oral care, and delirium detection and management. Current research emphasis is on early detection and management of dehydration in older adults in community and institutional settings, through the use of various biomarkers, such as urine and salivary parameters along with hydration habits.

Clinical: Gerontological and psychiatric nursing

I have developed the following products from my research: Hydration Management Protocol (Available from the University of Iowa)  Validated a urine color chart for evaluating hydration status in nursing home residents  A typology of hydration problems in nursing home residents

Website Links: For information about evidenced-based protocols, including my Hydration Management Protocol, use the following address:http://www.nursing.uiowa.edu/centers/gnirc/protocols.htm  For information about the National Hartford Center of Gerontological Nursing Excellence visit www.nhcgne.org

Professional Activities

Gerontological Society of America Sigma Theta Tau Western Institute of Nursing Director, NHCGNE

Education

The Pennsylvania State University, BSN, Nursing

University of Maryland at Baltimore, MS, Nursing

Binghamton University, GNP certificate

University of Iowa, PhD, Gerontological Nursing

Honors and Awards

2001-03     John A. Hartford Building Academic Geriatric Nursing Capacity Post-doctoral Fellow

2002           Fellow, Grantmakers in Aging

2004          Western Institute of Nursing Regional Gerontological Nursing Research Award for a New Researcher

2009          Fellow, Gerontological Society of America

2014          Fellow of American Academy of Nursing

Publications

Tailakh, A., Mentes, J., Morisky, DE, Pike, N., Phillips, L., & Evangelista, L. (2012). Prevalence, awareness, treatment and control of hypertension among Arab Americans. Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing. Jun 19. [Epub ahead of print] PMID:22722474.

Pieters HC, Heilemann MV, Maliski S, Dornig K, Mentes J. (2012). Instrumental relating and treatment decision making among older women with early-stage breast cancer. Oncology Nursing Forum, 39, e10-9.

Mentes, J, Kang, S., Spackman, S., & Bauer, J. (in press). Can a licorice lollipop decrease cariogenic bacteria in nursing home residents? Research in Gerontological Nursing.

Hooper, L., Attreed, NJ, Campbell, WW, Channell, AM, Chassagne, P., Culp, KR, Fletcher, SJ, Fuller, N., Gaspar, P., Gilbert, DJ., Heathcote, AC., Linder, G., Mack, GW., Mentes, JC, Needham, RA, Olde Rikkert, MGM, Ransson, SC, Ritz, P., Rowat, AM, Smith, AC, Stookey, JJD, Thomas, DR, Wakefiekd, BJ., Ward, S., Potter, JF, & Hunter, PR (2011). Clinical and physical signs for identification of impending and current water-loss dehydration in older people [Protocol]. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2. Art No. CD009647. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD009647.

Jang, H., Anderson, P, & Mentes, J. (2011). Aging and living with HIV/AIDs. Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 37 (12), 4-7.

Woods, DL, & Mentes, J. (2011). Spit: Saliva in nursing research, uses and methodological considerations for older adults. Biological Research for Nursing. 13, 320-327. DOI: 10.1177/1099800411404211 [E-pub ahead of print].

Hu, C., He, J., Eckert, R., Wu, X., Li, L., Tian, Y., Lux, R., Shuffer, J., Gelman, F., Mentes, J. Spackman, S., Bauer, J., Anderson, M., & Shi, W. (2011). Development and evaluation of a safe and effective sugar-free herbal lollipop that kills cavity-causing bacteria. International Journal of Oral Science, 3 (1), 13-20.

Shinnick, M., Woo, M., Mentes, J. (2011). Human patient simulation: State of the science in pre-licensure nursing education. Journal of Nursing Education, 50,65-72.

Child, R. & Mentes, J. (2010). Violence against women: The phenomenon of workplace violence against nurses. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 31, 89-95.

Egan, B. & Mentes, J. (2010). Benefits of physical activity for knee osteoarthritis. A brief review. Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 36 (9).

Mentes, J. & Wang, J. (2010). Evaluation of the Dehydration Risk Appraisal Checklist. Research in Gerontological Nursing. May 31: 1-9. doi: 10.3928/19404921-20100504-02 [Epub ahead of print].

Wakefield, B., Mentes, J, Holman, J., & Culp, K. (2009). Post admission dehydration: Risk factors, indicators and outcomes. Rehabilitation Nursing. 34, 209-216.

Wang, J. & Mentes, J. (2009). Factors determining nurses' judgment about hospitalized elderly patients with acute confusion. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 30,399-405.

Wakefield, B., Mentes, J, Holman, J., & Culp, K. (2008). Risk factors and outcomes associated with hospital admission for dehydration. Rehabilitation Nursing, 33, 233-241.

Mentes, J. (2006). Oral hydration in older adults. American Journal of Nursing, 106 (6), 40-49.

Mentes, J. (2006). A typology of oral hydration problems exhibited by nursing home residents. Journal of Gerontological Nursing 32 (1), 13-21.

Mentes, J., Wakefield, B., & Culp, K. (2006). Use of a urine color chart to monitor hydration status in nursing home residents. Biological Research for Nursing, 7, 197-203.

Mentes, J., Chang, B., & Morris, J. (2006). Keeping nursing home residents hydrated. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 28, 392-406.

Morris, DL, & Mentes, J. (2006). Geropsychiatric nursing education: Challenge and opportunity. Journal of the American Psychiatric Nursing Association, 12 (2), 105-115.

Wang, J., & Mentes, J. (2006). Cultural influences in the detection of acute confusion in Taiwanese elders. Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 32 (6), 7-12.

Woods, DL, & Mentes, J. (2006). Agitated behavior as a prodromal symptom of physiological illness: A case of the flu. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society,54, 1953-1954.

Mentes, J., Teer, J., & Cadogan, M. (2004). The pain experience of cognitively impaired nursing home residents: Perceptions of family members and certified nursing assistants. Pain Management Nursing, 5 (3), 118-125.

Culp, K., Mentes, J., & Wakefield, B. (2003). Hydration and acute confusion in long-term care residents, Western Journal of Nursing Research, 25, 251-266.

Mentes, J., & Culp, K. (2003). Reducing hydration-linked events in nursing home residents, Clinical Nursing Research, 12, 210-225.

Mentes, J., & Tripp-Reimer, T. (2002). Barriers and facilitators in nursing home intervention research, Western Journal of Nursing Research, 24, 918-936.

Wakefield, B., Mentes, J., Diggelmann, L., & Culp, K. (2002). Monitoring hydration status in elderly veterans, Western Journal of Nursing Research, 24, 132-142.

Culp, K., Mentes, J., McConnell, E. (2001). Studying acute confusion in long-term care: clinical investigation or secondary data analysis using the minimum data set. Journal of Gerontological Nursing 27(4), 41-48.

Rapp, C. G., Onega, L., Tripp-Reimer, T., Mobily, P., Wakefield, B., Kundrat, M., Akins, J., Wadle, K., Mentes, J., Culp, K., Meyer, J., & Waterman, J. (2001). Training of Acute Confusion Resource Nurses: Knowledge, perceived confidence, and role. Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 27 (4), 34-40.

Mentes, J. C., & Iowa-Veterans Affairs Nursing Research Consortium. (2000). Hydration Management research-based protocol. Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 26 (10), 6-15.

Rapp, C.G., Wakefield, B., Kundrat, M., Mentes, J., Tripp-Reimer, T., Culp, K., Mobily, P., Akins, J., & Onega, L. (2000). Acute confusion assessment instruments: Clinical versus research utility. Applied Nursing Research, 13, 37-45.