The Importance of Geriatric Nursing Essay

Gerontology studies the processes of aging which include biopsychosocial factors, geriatrics, geropsychology, social gerontology, financial gerontology, geropharmaceutics, gerontological nursing, gerontological rehabilitation, and others. Traditionally being ‘old’ means to be over 65 years old. The Social Security Administration sets this number. However, modern approach to designation of the ‘old’ people defines “the young old (ages 65–74), the middle old (ages 75–84), and the old old, very old, or frail elderly (ages 85 and up) (Mauk, 2006). Mauk has stated in her research that those numbers cannot be accepted as universal. As different aspects impact the health, socio-cultural, psychological and other features that predetermine the person’s feeling of one’s age. Thus, differences certainly exist between biological aging and chronological aging, and between the physical and emotional or social aspects of aging with each individual” (Mauk, 2006). Notable, while aging a person may develop new diseases which become chronic. Their organisms become weaker with age. Many older adults require special care both in the hospitals and home. People of all ages must feel comfortable to develop a healthy environment for themselves and people around them. Thus, aging in place is important for successful aging. Thus, this paper is going to discuss the effect of aging population increase and its economical and social influence on the country. Along with the critical analysis of the relevant literature, the researcher will discuss the interviews conducted with an elderly. The questions were related to promotion of successful aging and understanding aging experience and perception. The Importance of Geriatric Nursing Essay

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A summary of the interview
Aging is an unavoidable process. When getting closer to this age, any person must remember that they still have a life ahead, their life perception impacts their psychological and physical health significantly. Moreover, there is a direct connection between successful aging and remaining strong relationships with a family, friends, neighbors, spouses, and others. While interviewing Mrs. Chan, the researcher has noted that she develops successful aging, as she realizes its unavoidability. She peacefully accepted all the natural changes in her appearance and body. However, she stated that her heart feels young. Mrs. Chan believed that participating in social activities, doing exercises regularly, learning and developing new skills allow her to stay young. According to Jennifer Reichstadt and her colleagues, “[Successful aging is] enjoying the automatic part of life as much as you can and the special moments as much as you can… It took a long time for people to realize that right now is really what life is all about. The future is unpredictable up to a point. This moment, right now, because my organs are working, is life” (Reichstadt et al. 2010). Mrs. Chan was a little worried about her aging, as she did not expect to be active long. She was sad that her body had developed more age-related health problems than she thought it would be. She believed that she would manage to maintain the current health condition as getting old. The interviewee wanted to keep actively engaging in social activities, spending more time with family and friends. Mrs. Chan also expected not to experience financial worry, while getting new wrinkles, grey hair, and becoming weaker. The Importance of Geriatric Nursing Essay  Mrs. Chan has also described the changes in her health condition due to aging. She has lost her appetite because she does not feel taste as good as before. She has become weaker and slower. Her body does not produce as extensive sweat as before even if she exercises. However, the blood pressure is more often to change. Very often, Mrs. Chan experiences insomnia. Insomnia and blood pressure often occur when Mrs. Chan experiences emotional boom related to health, death, and family. The interviewee has learned how to live with all those aging phenomena, which proves successful aging. Notably, Mrs. Chan has plenty of memories that help her age successfully. She has spoken much about her sons, their education, and career. The interviewee has a large family whom she likes to communicate with. Besides her sons, the old lady has a husband’s support. He and their children always provide physical and emotional help, when she cannot carry heavy bags from the shop when she worries because of getting old. Mr. and Mrs. Chan both have a positive perception of aging; this helps them go ahead and enjoy their lives. However, successful aging is a challenge for many older people because they often experience financial issues. Low pensions and the absence of insurance make elderly’s lives a robust experience. Mrs. Chan claims that she knows about such negative factors, and from the beginning, she was not ready for that, but she is not alone. She has her family, and she feels support both emotional and financial from her sons which plays an integral role in her physical and psychological health. Mrs. Chan has enough money to travel a lot and attend the gym. Those activities make her happier. The Importance of Geriatric Nursing Essay

THE PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING THEORY TO STUDY GERONTOLOGY
“Psychological well-being is a broad term that has different meanings for different social scientists” (Hillier & Barrow, 2014). The measurement of well-being includes three central factors morale, happiness, and life satisfaction. Those factors play an integral role in the decision-making process of aged people and the gerontological personnel. “An assessment describes the client in terms of characteristics relevant to the service being offered and gathers the information needed to tailor programs specifically to the needs of an individual” (Hillier & Barrow, 2014). To complete this study, the researcher had to develop a questionnaire for an elderly to measure her aging satisfaction. Using the theory, the researcher has included the seven domains of satisfaction and asked Mrs. Chan about “material well-being, health, productivity, intimacy, safety, community, and emotional well-being (Hillier & Barrow, 2014). While interpreting her answers, the researcher discovered, that Mrs. Chan is generally satisfied with her aging process, even though she had faced some challenges which include financial and health problems. However, her family had supported her, and now she is happy. The Importance of Geriatric Nursing Essay

PERSONAL PERCEPTION OF AGING
Getting old is an inevitable process. Everything has its beginning and end. This interview was important to me as a researcher and an individual. I consider that learning materials from the book are not as useful and efficient as communication with people, getting the first-hand information. As a future nurse, I must realize all the psychological, biological, and social processes which take place in person’s aging. When aging a person requires specific help and support. I am still not sure which direction I should go that is why I must understand responsibilities of both gerontological nurse and gerontological rehabilitation nurse. If I select working as a gerontological nurse, I must realize that my patients can suffer because of various “chronic illnesses and long-term functional limitations such as stroke, head injury, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s and other neurological diseases, spinal cord injury, arthritis, joint replacements, and amputations” (Mauk, 2006). If I select working as a gerontological nurse, I will be involved in working “with healthy elderly persons in their communities, the acutely ill elderly requiring hospitalization and treatment, and the chronically ill or disabled elderly in long-term care facilities, skilled care, home care, and hospice” (Mauk, 2006). All the old people, who undergo this condition and do not display any severe features that must be observed by the specialists will be under my responsibility and responsibility of my colleagues. Thus, we must learn hard to get a theoretical understanding of the problem. Simultaneously, an internship is important for gerontological nurses as it gives an in-depth understanding of the problems and valuable experience in communication with such people while providing them emotional, psychological and physical support. All in all, gerontological nurses and gerontological rehabilitation nurses must advocate “for the health of older persons at all levels of prevention” (Mauk, 2006). The Importance of Geriatric Nursing Essay

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FUTURE OF GERONTOLOGY
Due to the current tendency of population aging, gerontology has become a significant aspect of modern healthcare. Specialists operating in the gerontological sphere must realize that each old person is unique. They have lived their lives, developed habits, interests, and experiences. Like any other citizen of the country, older people remain their rights to privacy and dignity. They have abilities and limitations which impact their life satisfaction, expectations, and needs. Gerontologists state that “We believe in the older person’s right to make informed choices, and we advocate for the fulfillment of those decisions” (CGNA, 2010). Even though family and friends of the older person remain playing an integral role in their lives, they still often require the third party’s support. Thus, gerontological nurses can fill in this gap. Their professional support and communication can improve the physical and psychological condition of the patient. They can ensure that “the health care system, including gerontological nursing practice, supports client outcomes” (CGNA, 2010). Gerontological nurses are the professionals that aim to optimize the well-being of older people and assist them to achieve successful aging. CGNA (2010) views gerontological nursing as “dynamic interaction between the client and nurse to achieve health and wellbeing” (CGNA, 2010). This sphere provides a nurse with different areas for self-development and promotion. While being an integral part of the process, a nurse must be ready to contribute significantly to the interaction with the patients. “Clients bring their unique experiences, personal knowledge, and expertise about themselves whereas nurses bring their specific body of knowledge of gerontology and geriatrics, their skills and the art and science of nursing” (CGNA, 2010). Moreover, different political, social, community, cultural and other factors play an integral role in the development of the interaction between the older person and the nurse. Thus, a nurse must always be prepared for such conditions and find necessary words to maintain a positive environment for the patients. The Importance of Geriatric Nursing Essay

SAFETY IS AN ESSENTIAL FACTOR FOR OLDER PEOPLE AGE SUCCESSFULLY.
Patient falls are a serious aspect of the nursing field since it is nurses’ responsibility to take care of the patients and ensure that they are safe at all time. The American population is aging, and the majority of patients in the health centers are older adults who are prone to falls leading to various ramifications to the health centers, patient, and the nurses. Consequently, this research aims at identifying how patients’ falls can be reduced in healthcare facilities. According to Weinberg (2011), elderly falls among the old people in the hospital are ranked sixth leading cause of death for this category of people. The authors also argue that falls among the patients are the primary cause of injury admission in the majority of healthcare facilities in the US. Rowe (2013) argues that falls lead to prolongation of the inpatient period for about 84% of patients aged more than sixty years. The researcher has also found that one in every forty falls cases results in death after one year. The increase in inpatient stay due to patient falls results to increased care costs as the injuries call for extensive care leading to depletion of resources allocated to the health facility. According to Wayland et al. (2010), patient falls lead to muscle and soft tissue fractures which not only increase the hospitalization period but also decreases the movement ability of the patient. It is imperative to note that, the mobility of the patient is necessary as it helps the patient to recover within the set time frame. As the hospital staff, especially the nurses, come up with programs to enhance the mobility of the patients, they have to be careful to ensure that the patient does not fall. Rheaume and Fruh (2015) argue that 25% of patient falls are preventable if only the hospital can implement the right structures and practices. It is essential to note that the nurses have a role to take care of the patients, and this study falls squarely within the precincts of the nursing study (Dzieżyc et al. 2015). The Importance of Geriatric Nursing Essay

Conclusion
Due to the current tendency of population aging, gerontology has become a significant aspect of modern healthcare. Specialists operating in the gerontological sphere must realize that each old person is unique. This is notable that nursing career has a vast developmental opportunity as it makes the employees think hard before making decisions and actions. They are involved in communication with people who have a vast experience in different spheres of knowledge. Gerontological nurses must be ready to take care of older people in every single moment of their stay in the healthcare establishment. This will help reduce possible physical injuries and their adverse outcomes. Thus, the operation in this field is challenging as it requires much attention, care, and support. However, this job is grateful as a gerontological nurse helps a patient to enjoy his aging process.

Assignment

18 December 2012

1. End of Life Issues and the Elderly
(2) “Identify and discuss the role of the nurse in providing family centred care to an elderly client who is palliative and living at home with his/her spouse or another family member”.

Palliative care is an approach to provide a coordinated medical, nursing, and allied health service to address the patient’s physical, social emotional and spiritual needs for people with progressive incurable illness. Palliative care seeks to deliver allied health service within the environment of person’s choice to improve quality of life for both an ill person and the family or friends. In the United States, Europe and other part of the world, number of people reaching the advanced age and having the need of specialities for the management of pain control continues to increase. (Royal College of Nursing, 2004). The Importance of Geriatric Nursing Essay
Meanwhile, a nurse plays vital roles in providing family centred care to an elderly palliative client living at home with his or her spouse or family member.
Nurses’ roles to an elderly palliative client are as follows:
Relief client from physical symptoms
Providing quality of life-care for an elderly patient
Family support
Assisting the client to achieve good death or dying well
Reducing client isolation, fear or anxiety

Nurses who work in the field of geriatrics, also known as gerontology, focus on caring for older adults. This is a high-demand practice area, because older people are more likely to require health services. Half of all hospital admissions are for patients over age 65, but only 1% of nurses are certified in geriatrics (ExploreHealthCareers.org, 2013). Geriatric nurses are educated to understand and treat the often complex physical and mental health needs of older people. Nurses try to help their patients protect their health and cope with changes in their mental and physical abilities, so older people can stay independent and active as long as possible. Many older people have health conditions that do not require hospitalization, but must be treated with medication, changes in diet, use of special equipment, daily exercises or other adaptations. The nurses often function as a case manager, linking families with community resources to help them care for elderly members. (ExploreHealthCareers.org, 2013.) Geriatric nursing is a fast-growing career, because Americans are living longer. The post-WWII “Baby Boomer” generation is just now hitting retirement age. According to the U.S. Census, by 2050 more than 20% of Americans – 88 million people –– will be over age 65. (Cherry, 2011) The Importance of Geriatric Nursing Essay

Providing care to the elderly can be a challenging but rewarding experience. It is important to remember that the needs of elderly clients are not different from other individuals. They have the same physical and psychological needs as any person of any age. These needs are sometimes more intense by the changes that interrupt the normal life patterns. When this happens, the elderly need understanding, acceptance, and the knowledge that someone care.

It is difficult to overestimate the role of a nurse in treatment of patients, particularly in hospitals. Making doctor’s appointments, taking care of seriously ill patients, carrying out many complex manipulations – all these things are the direct responsibility of the nursing staff. The nurse is also involved in the examination of the patient, preparing him for various surgical interventions, working in the operating room as a surgical nurse or anesthesiologist and monitoring patients in resuscitation and intensive care.

Importance of the development and improvement of geriatrics is determined by the rise of the absolute number and proportion of older persons. According to forecasts, the trend of demographic aging will persist until the end of the century. The incidence rate of these people is approximately 2 times higher than the incidence rate of people who are younger than forty. For the elderly, the combination of different diseases is also inherent, which is closely associated with the development of age-related processes in an aging body (Alligood & Marriner, 2010). The Importance of Geriatric Nursing Essay

Such a tendency places high demands not only to the knowledge and practical skills of the nurse, but also challenges the nurse’s moral standing, ability to behave in a group and communicate with patients and their relatives. Only with the full sympathy of the patient, with the understanding of his position, real contact between him and the medical staff can be possible. It is so necessary for successful treatment. Patient needs sensitivity, emotional support, and warmth even more than drugs (Alligood & Marriner, 2010).

Description of the Role of Nurse in Geriatrics

Communication of nurse with the elderly patients has a number of characteristics. Transmission of information is done by verbal and nonverbal means. Communicating with an elderly patient, the nurse should provide training and pass information considering the involutional changes in his body. The Importance of Geriatric Nursing Essay

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For example,

a) As a result of age-related changes of the eye, visual acuity, and adaptation to light/ darkness, the color vision can decrease. This may be accompanied by an increase of sensitivity to bright light. To reduce the impact of these changes, it is recommended to be closer to the person to create the possibility to see whom he or she is talking to; it is also recommended to increase the light while reading (Archbold, 2013).

b) Changes in organs of hearing can lead to age-related hearing loss (presbyacusis) and decrease in the ability of perception of all sounds because of the atrophy of cells responsible for the perception of high-pitched sounds (Bickley & Szilagyi, 2009).

c) The ototopika (the ability to locate the source of audible sounds in space to determine their direction) can deteriorate in the elderly, which increases the risk of injury. So, the nurse should follow the performance criteria of the verbal message more carefully.

d) The sense of smell can be an asset to people of the old age, but with age, smell acuity can gradually decrease, which leads to an inability to detect the smell of smoke, gas, and spoiled food.

e) Decrease in the perception of taste may lead to the decrease in appetite and weight loss, as well as use of poor-quality food (Arnold & Boggs, 2007). The Importance of Geriatric Nursing Essay

f) With age, skin changes, too. There are such disorders of skin sensitivity in the practice of nurses as touch abnormalities, feeling of pressure, temperature, and pain. This increases the risk of damage due to deprivation of security mechanisms provided by cutaneous receptors (especially, on the tips of the patient’s fingers, palms, and feet). Retardation of reaction to hot and cold leads to burns (while taking bath or using heaters).

In the process of communication, the nurse builds perception and understanding of a partner. The degree of perception and understanding largely determines the communication process, the level of relations between the nurse and patient, and how to implement their joint activities (Arnold & Boggs, 2007). The Importance of Geriatric Nursing Essay

It is necessary that the nurse had a full and proper understanding of each patient. This is the basis which allows individual approach and better understanding of the patient’s personality and create the most favorable conditions for reaching the optimal level of functioning (Bickley & Szilagyi, 2009).

Education Requirements and Experience Required Role of Nurse in Geriatrics

Speaking about education, we should mention that the nurse has to study from 2 to 6 years. RN (Registered Nurse) needs 2 years of studying to get the Associate Degree. If anyone wants to be BSN (Bachelors of Science in Nursing) and to get Bachelors Degree, he should study during 4 years. MSN (Masters of Science in Nursing) and Masters Degree need two years after the BSN. The Importance of Geriatric Nursing Essay

Many people receive RN firstly and then complete their education trying to get the BSN while working at the same time. MSN is necessary in two cases: if a person wants in the future to be a nurse-manager or plans to teach at the university. But some hospitals do not recruit nurses only with 2 years of studying. For example, one of the largest and most famous hospitals in Boston – MGH (Massachusetts General Hospital) writes in its advertisements that a nurse with the degree of Bachelors of Science in Nursing is required. The degree is necessary (Bickley & Szilagyi, 2009).

After finishing studying, a person has to pass NCLEX (national examination for accreditation of nurse). Only after that, one becomes a nurse. The Importance of Geriatric Nursing Essay

During the work of nurse, not everything depends on the drugs which were prescribed by a doctor, as well as not on different medical procedures. These are not all a patient needs for a full recovery. The most important thing is the right attitude, which depends on the mental and emotional state of the patient. In this case, background experience of nurse is important and useful. It can provide:

– good psychological atmosphere of relationships between the nurse and patient (the nurse has already got the experience of building relationships and can be more polite and confident at the same time);

– competencies. The nurse can follow directly everything prescribed by a doctor, the possibility to make a rude mistake become less. He can improve practical skills within his background experience which will increase his competencies. The Importance of Geriatric Nursing Essay

Setting is also important in the work of a nurse. A complex environment influences on the health of a patient in the same measure as on the work of nurse. It can give psychological, physical, and mental direction for full recovery.

Individuals, working in the field of geriatric nursing, should be educated, have a thorough understanding of working with older people, and be able to perform all nurse manipulation with the appropriate quality (Wendt, 2003).

The geriatric nurse should know the processes of aging, as well as risk factors of premature aging and disease in old age. He or she should also know clinical manifestation and prevention of injury and illness in the elderly, features of gerontological dietetics and pharmacotherapy, and finally, responsibilities of a geriatric nurse in the performance of medical diagnostic procedures. He should be able to: The Importance of Geriatric Nursing Essay

– communicate effectively and according to the ethical dimension with geriatric patients;

– conduct the nursing process with an initial assessment to identify patient’s problems;

– conduct the nursing care plan, do current and complete evaluation of the provided care;

– prepare the patient for treatment and diagnostic procedures;

– provide infectious safety of patients and staff;

– perform nurse manipulations;

– administer medication prescribed by a doctor;

– maintain a safe environment for the patient;

– provide the first aid (Wendt, 2003).

Geriatric nurse should use training exercises, allowing the patient to feel the age-related changes in the main channels of perception of information. Some medical researchers gave the following pieces of advice: to talk and listen with cotton balls in the ears, wear the bandage on eyes and try to read some text, wear rubber gloves, sew buttons, as well as wrap a hand and then do something (Wendt, 2003). The Importance of Geriatric Nursing Essay

On average, the nurse can identify at least five diseases per one old man. Atherosclerosis of heart and brain, arterial hypertension, chronic bronchitis, tumors, prostatic hyperplasia, diabetes, mental depression, cataracts, and hearing loss often can be combined.

Geriatric patients may suffer from diseases since their youth. But infectious diseases can also occur sharply. Age-related peculiarities of the organism impact these diseases. They will be characterized by such features as atypicality, as well as absence of bright symptoms of the disease. Clinical manifestations of the disease, especially those related to the psyche of an older person, require identification of certain features in examination of the patient. Age-related changes affect the psychology of an old man, as well as his orientation in the environment. Examination of this patient with disorders of several systems requires considerably more time than the examination of a young man. We must take into account the fact that old men are likely to have declined hearing, vision, and they generally demonstrate slower response. If a patient consistently wears glasses or a hearing aid, this means we force him to use these devices during the survey (Archbold, 2013). The Importance of Geriatric Nursing Essay

Pronunciation should be clear. The face of the person who takes part in the survey should be illuminated so that the movement of the lips helps the patient understand the words uttered. Sometimes, hearing loss can be caused by the presence of sulfur plugs in patients’ ears. If relatives of this patient are present at the examination, the nurse should talk with them first. This allows the researcher to identify the characteristics of any individual patient, his relationships within a family, as well as enables the researcher to identify the characteristics of any individual patient. In case of changes in his/her psyche, patient must be examined in the presence of relatives (Alligood & Marriner, 2010).. The Importance of Geriatric Nursing Essay

Example

As an example of a patient who benefited from geriatric nursing, we can describe the case of a lady from Alberta (Canada) who was 89 years old. Her relatives were worried because of her getting up in the middle of the night during the week. She walked around the house, looked for something, and prepared food. During the day, she was quite intelligent and did not have somatic diseases except for bilateral cataracts. Every morning, she added the next piece to her knitting, but every day that knitting got more grubby. The nurse suspected that at night, the lady was in a state of disorientation, which could be related to taking any medication. Indeed, examining her nightstand next to the bed, the nurse found digoxin tablets. After three days, she was much quieter at night, and her knitting became neat again.

From primary care offices and pediatrics, to ER and trauma centers, there are so many opportunities and different specializations available to our nursing graduates in Utah and all over the world. A speciality like geriatric nursing is easily overlooked, but it can be unexpectedly rewarding to many nurses out there.

It’s certainly needed. Geriatric care is on the rise. According to the Administration for Community Living, the percentage of people living in the U.S. who are over 65 will grow from 14.1 percent in 2013 to 21.7 percent by 2040. With this increase will come the need for passionate, understanding geriatric nurses who answered the calling to care for these sometimes forgotten generations. The Importance of Geriatric Nursing Essay

Every one of our nursing students in Draper has a distinct and valuable reason for why they choose the profession. It’s not unusual for some of our students to pursue geriatric nursing because of personal experience with older family members or friends. Those who make this choice should know geriatric nursing comes with its own set of benefits and challenges, like the ones listed below.

Advancing through training, certification, and education
The programs and certifications for a geriatric nurse are very similar to other specialties. First, you need to enroll and complete a nursing program, like the one we offer at Ameritech, and pass the NCLEX. After you pass the NCLEX, RNs who wish to pursue a career working with the elderly can do so right away! To become certified, however, requires a little more work — mainly, experience.

The American Nurses Credentialing Center does offer credentialing in the form of the Gerontological Nursing Certification Exam. Before an RN can take this exam, there are eligibility criteria he or she must satisfy: The Importance of Geriatric Nursing Essay

Have an active U.S. or state territory RN license (or legally equivalent licensure from another country),
Work as a full-time RN for a minimum of two years,
Have at least three years of experience working in the gerontological nursing field with a minimum of 2,000 hours accumulated, and
Complete 30 hours of continuing education in the field gerontological nursing within the last three years.
Becoming a certified geriatric nurse in this way comes with the coveted RN-BC (board-certified) credential and puts you in great position to become a leader in the field, gain more skills and knowledge, and give your patients a better quality of care. You can also continue on with your education, completing an RN-BSN degree program, an MS in geriatric nursing, or even a PhD. Though you only need an RN degree to begin, the sky’s the limit for geriatric nursing programs and certifications!

Creating meaningful relationships with an older generation
Geriatric nurse and older patient hold handsAs a nursing student, you’ll learn all about communicating with patients, explaining treatment options, and the ins and outs of appropriate bedside manner. All of this knowledge will help you in any given specialty, but it’s especially essential in your day-to-day today activities as a geriatric nurse.

As a nurse, you often have more contact with your patients than any other healthcare worker. You work as a patient advocate, so it’s important you understand the necessity of building a positive relationship with your elderly patient and his or her family. This takes high levels of patience, empathy, and compassion. It isn’t for everyone, but if you find value in forming meaningful relationships with aging individuals and want to give back to an older generation, you’ll find so much joy and satisfaction in the work — and it will be a positive experience, overall, for everyone. The Importance of Geriatric Nursing Essay

In addition, enjoying the access to different perspectives, diversity, and years of memories, wisdom, and stories can lead to better care. Your life will be enriched, and if you express gratitude and respect for this, your patients will likely be more comfortable, feel more supported, and be honest and more cooperative with you over time.

Earning potential in geriatric nursing
While it’s wise to choose a nursing specialty based on passion and purpose, the salary for geriatric nursing can be a factor on the list, too. Depending on geographic location, experience, level of education, and institution, wages for geriatric nurses can vary greatly. Overall, though, if you’re wondering how much geriatric nurses make: they usually can carve out a nice living for themselves.

According to Nurse Journal, nurses who want to specialize in geriatrics can earn on average anywhere from $49,000 (Hawaii) to $98,000 (Washington, DC). The pay is higher on the East Coast, with Massachusetts ($94,000), Connecticut ($90,000), and New York ($95,000) leading the pack behind our nation’s capitol. If you don’t want to make the move to the East Coast, California (so close to Utah!) ranks high with an average salary of $84,000. There is a chance that these figures will change in the next few years. As we said, the aging population in the U.S., those who will need long-term care, is growing — and fast. The Importance of Geriatric Nursing Essay

Again, while good pay might sound very tempting when considering a nursing career speciality, money can’t buy you everything. Place emphasis on what will make you happy as a nurse — your best personality fit, your ambitions, your passions, and your ability to handle pressure, for example — before you place emphasis on salary. Geriatrics is a field that takes a lot of heart and patience, and it isn’t for everybody, so don’t jump into it for the wrong reasons!

Related resource: Practical Advice for Choosing Your Nursing Specialty

Overcoming complexities
Geriatric nurse helping an older woman stand up

End-of-life care can be exhausting, because geriatric patients often need more physical assistance, and because elderly care has become more complicated with each passing year. Managing chronic illnesses, comorbidities, and medications requires a diverse range of skills and a strong knowledge base. Symptoms of a common condition can manifest in a completely different way in the aging population, which means geriatric nurses need to be comfortable with critical thinking and listening to the needs, wants, and feelings of the patient. The Importance of Geriatric Nursing Essay

Related resource: Be Careful: These Are the Causes of Compassion Fatigue

Tackling fear of the elderly
Some people might have a misguided fear of the elderly. There are several myths and stereotypes that might keep some well-suited nurses from pursuing a career in geriatric nursing, where they would otherwise thrive in the field. Not all elderly patients have dementia. Aging individuals are all unique with different thoughts, capabilities, and world views. While physical strength, memory, and the five senses do decline with age, aging does not affect creativity, the ability to change, or the love families have for their parents, grandparents, or brothers and sisters. It’s important to avoid assumptions and to keep an open mind. You never know where someone has been and what kind of lives they’ve experienced.

Related resource: 8 Benefits of a Holistic Nursing Education

Nurse working with a geriatric patient in a wheelchairBecoming an advocate for older patients
There was a time when curing the patient was more important than the patients themselves. Hospitals are designed around efficiency rather than person-centered care, but times are changing, and in some cases, nurses — especially those with a holistic specialty — are leading the charge. The Importance of Geriatric Nursing Essay

As a geriatric nurse, you’ll be one of the biggest advocates for the patient and the patient’s family. In some cases, the treatment objective will shift. In geriatric nursing, sometimes curing the patient’s illness will become secondary to treating the patient with respect and dignity, maintaining function, and giving the patient the best quality of care as possible.

You’ll also be a listening ear when needed, a voice for those without one, and sensitive to and aware of the family’s state-of-mind at all times. There is also great opportunity to give back to a generation of people who have given so much of their lives to the world already.The Importance of Geriatric Nursing Essay