Care of the Elderly
Geriatrics is the fastest growing patient population in the United States. With medical advances in recent years people are living longer and with multiple comorbidities caring for them can be complicated. As the current population ages there is and will continue to be a growing demand for not only medical care of the elderly as a specialty, but also in general medicine. This demand for caregivers familiar with care for the elderly needs to be transferred into the realm of education.
Geriatric patients are classified as those 65 years of age and older (NICHE, 2105; Lyons et al., 2014). With this population frailty, failure to thrive, financial strain, and polypharmacy can complicate health issues further (Hughes & Moore, 2012). With the potential for this patient population to become very ill, very quickly, competencies in the area of geriatrics will not only benefit the patients, but the nursing staff as well.
The goal of educational programs focused on geriatric care is to improve the quality of care of the elderly, to gain sensitivity to areas of concern for the geriatric population, and to encourage change in the culture of institutions in the care of the elderly (NICHE, 2015). With longer average lengths of stay and higher readmission rates, there is definitely a need for specialized geriatric care education (Louisiana State Nurses Association, 2014; Lyons et al., 2014). The outcome of such a change in the focus of educational programs can shift a change in clinical practice.
In nursing education today there are often no stand-alone courses targeting the geriatric population (Lyons et al., 2014). However, geriatric concerns are often found threaded throughout the curricula (Lyons et al., 2014). With more educational efforts directed at geriatric care, the quality of care for elderly patients will greatly increase as the awareness of the need is impressed upon new nurses.
Geriatric patients are classified as those 65 years of age and older (NICHE, 2105; Lyons et al., 2014). With this population frailty, failure to thrive, financial strain, and polypharmacy can complicate health issues further (Hughes & Moore, 2012). With the potential for this patient population to become very ill, very quickly, competencies in the area of geriatrics will not only benefit the patients, but the nursing staff as well.
The goal of educational programs focused on geriatric care is to improve the quality of care of the elderly, to gain sensitivity to areas of concern for the geriatric population, and to encourage change in the culture of institutions in the care of the elderly (NICHE, 2015). With longer average lengths of stay and higher readmission rates, there is definitely a need for specialized geriatric care education (Louisiana State Nurses Association, 2014; Lyons et al., 2014). The outcome of such a change in the focus of educational programs can shift a change in clinical practice.
In nursing education today there are often no stand-alone courses targeting the geriatric population (Lyons et al., 2014). However, geriatric concerns are often found threaded throughout the curricula (Lyons et al., 2014). With more educational efforts directed at geriatric care, the quality of care for elderly patients will greatly increase as the awareness of the need is impressed upon new nurses.