Geriatric Nursing
As the population of the United States ages, more and more nurses specializing in geriatrics will be needed. It has been estimated that by 2030, 20% of the population will be at least 65 years old, some 72 million Americans. Right now there are 36 million adults over 65. Nurses must be equipped to help care for the increasing number of older people who will need them.
Various types of nurses already care for the elderly. Licensed practical nurses working in long-term care facilities help mostly older patients who are in those facilities, as do visiting nurses who go to patients' homes. Nurses also see geriatric patients at assisted living facilities, and community health centers. Of newly licensed nurses, 63% of them report that the majority of their patients are elderly and have chronic medical conditions.
There are RNs and advanced practice nurses specialized to treat older patients now, but more of these nurses are needed. A number of initiatives have been set up to help train more nurses. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing has committed to preparing more nurses for geriatric work, including finding the faculty who can teach nurses about geriatric nursing. Their "Geriatric Nursing Project" has funding from the John A. Hartford Foundation to implement new programs.
Elderly patients with many medical problems can sometimes be difficult to take care of, but they are very often grateful for the help they get. It can be very rewarding to take care of an older person. They have a wealth of life history to share, and can become very connected to their nurses.
If you want to specialize as a geriatric nurse you should start with a BSN in nursing. If you then go to work in a gerontologic setting, after 2,000 hours of clinical work and 30 hours of continuing medical education in gerontological nursing, you can then take an exam given by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. When you pass the exam, you will get a credential in geriatric nursing.
There are various ways to get all you need to pass the credentialing exam. Some nursing schools offer courses in gerontology along the way. Some schools offer graduate certificates which apply to the continuing medical education requirement, and prepare you to sit for the exam at the same time.
Whichever route you chose, it is a good idea to find out how committed the school you are attending is to gerontology. How many faculty members do they have? How successful are their graduates?
Other specializations in gerontology are for advanced practice nurses. You want to choose a school with excellent training in geriatrics to get your advanced degree.
To be a gerolontological nurse practitioner, as you do your training you must have 500 hours of clinical practice that is supervised by a faculty member. You need to take the following courses: advanced health assessment, advanced pathophysiology, and advanced pharmacology. You will be trained in many disciplines across the human lifespan, including disease prevention and management, differential diagnosis, and health promotion. Once in the workplace, geriatric nurse practitioners can make an average of $75,000 a year.
The other advanced practice nurse, the clinical nurse specialist can train in gerontological nursing. You must have 500 hours of clinical work that is faculty supervised. Your classes must include advanced health assessment, pharmacology, and pathophysiology. The median annual salary for gerontological nurse specialists is $70,000.
If you decide on a career in geriatric nursing, you should know that there will be room for professional growth. Right now nearly three-quarters of home health care visits are to older adults. Half of hospitals stays involve older adults. These numbers are going to increase as the population ages, and your skills will be in demand.
Published: 2009-10-14
