Geriatric healthcare services are aimed at people over the age of 65 years (senior citizens or the elderly). Geriatrics is a medical discipline which concentrates on diagnosing, preventing or treating medical problems which are a result of the aging process.
A geriatric nurse is a nursing professional who specializes in providing healthcare services to old people. If a nursing profession in geriatrics interests you, read on to find out how you can obtain a geriatric nurse's degree and go on to become a geriatric nurse.
Job Description
Geriatric nurses are employed in hospitals, clinics, assisted-living centers, community health services or in private practice. Here are the responsibilities of geriatric nurses.
- Provide support and guidance on healthcare, while maintaining the overall well-being of elderly people.
- Administer medication and assist the physician in diagnosing and treating diseases or disabilities caused by aging.
- Perform diagnostic testing, monitor vital signs and regularly update patient records.
- Assist the patient’s family in providing care and support to the aging patient.
As the baby-boomer generation passes into old age, the demand for geriatric nursing positions is increasing and nurses with good credentials and work experience can expect to earn upwards of $70,000 a year, in addition to a number of employee benefits, depending on the place of employment.
Education and Certification
In order to work as a geriatric nurse, you will first need to qualify as a Registered Nurse (RN); this requires a bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN) or a higher qualification such as MSN or specialized post-graduate courses for Nurse Practitioners (NP) or Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNS).
Once you get your degrees, you’ll need to get a geriatric nursing certification. Certification for geriatric nurses is issued by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), which offers the following credentials:
- Gerontological Nurse Specialist: Must have completed two years as an RN, followed by 2,000 hours of practice and 30 hours of continuing education within the previous three years from the date of applying for the certification.
- Gerontological Nurse Practitioner: In addition to NP qualifications, you need 500 hours of supervised clinical practice in advanced health assessment, pharmacology and pathophysiology; training in disease management, differential diagnosis, health promotion and disease prevention is also required.
- CNS in Gerontological Nursing: Instructor-supervised clinical practice as stated above in advanced pharmacology, pathophysiology and health assessment—500 hours in addition to CNS requirements.
Overall the entire education and certification process for geriatric care can last for 6-9 years depending on the degree obtained. But remember, there will be a lot of geriatric nursing job opportunities in the near future. If you are interested in elderly health, start looking into careers in gerontology today.