GERIATRIC NURSING EDUCATION

Geriatric Nursing Education

Geriatric Nursing Education

Introduction

Gerontological nurses (GNs) are those nurses who specialize in care of both aging adults and the older adult population. These nurses provide care based on a specific skill set that includes knowledge of the normal aging process, common disorders of older adults, and unusual presentation of common illnesses (Mukamel, 2006). GNs assist patients and their families to promote health and optimal function, often while patients are dealing with one or more chronic diseases. Nurses use a comprehensive approach to patient care that focuses on the interplay of physical, psychological, and social factors.

Problem Statement

Chronic illness shifts the focus of care from curing the illness to controlling symptoms, maximizing the patient's function, and helping the patient and family manage the illness. Chronic care usually requires multiple medications, frequently necessitates ongoing lab work or other medical tests, and generally requires the physician to spend more time and effort helping to managing the elder's health (Fulmer, 2005). The elder's health care needs can also be complicated by illness-related declines in cognitive function, smaller social networks, and decreased financial assets. No one clinician can be expected to be an expert in all of these areas. The need for multiple clinicians to communicate with each other regularly to coordinate services and manage the health and health-related needs of a defined group of elders has resulted in the growth of geriatric interdisciplinary teams.

Research Question

Do communication skills influence the coordination of service between Gariatric Nurse and her patients?

Literature Review

Despite elders' need for coordinated services, few financial incentives exist in traditional fee-for-service Medicare for providers to work together to integrate care across settings. Although quality might improve, without financial integration, providers do not realize savings from reducing unnecessary hospitalizations or duplicative services (Coleman, 2006).

Consequently, the likelihood of geriatric team care is highest ...