RNs Gear Up for Aging 'Boomers'
Monday October 6, 2003
Print This- Select Text Size:
Comments
Andrea Nevins, MPH, director of the certificate programs at Brookdale Center on Aging in NYC, discusses options for RNs interested in gerontology.
advertisement
As the post-World-War-II generation approaches retirement, the need for new specialties related to care of the elderly is becoming more pressing. This demographic cohort has benefited from a knowledge explosion about disease treatment and a better understanding of health promotion - and they have the life expectancy to prove it.
A Longer Life
"People are living longer - the number of people over age 65 is expected to double between the years 2005 and 2050," says Steven Baumann, RN, PhD, coordinator of the Gerontological Nurse Practitioner Program, Hunter College, NY. Obviously, the need for nurses to address the special needs of this burgeoning group will skyrocket in the next 20 years.
Baumann points out that most of the graduate level programs offering advanced practice training are combining gerontological and adult nurse practitioner programs. There has been an overall decrease in the number of nurses entering programs focused on gerontology, and combining the two programs ensures the survival of these much needed specialties. Graduates are equipped to care for a wide variety of patients. This broader type of preparation assures that there will be advanced practice nurses available as the population ages.
Baumann hastens to add that the future does not belong exclusively to the advanced practice nurse. "The biggest need will be for the two-, three, and four-year trained RNs, from associate degree to bachelor degree," he says. "We've become pretty good in preventing death, but we haven't eliminated the underlying chronic diseases."
Caring - Wherever We Find Them
The need for care will continue in a wide variety of settings. Nursing homes have always been primarily populated by the elderly. As the need for such extended care increases, the need for nurses in these settings will certainly keep pace. The rewards are equal to the demands, and nursing in a skilled nursing home can make a profound difference in a person's life.
"Home care will also expand dramatically," predicts Baumann. "Already, the over-65 population accounts for 85% to 90% of home care clients." It's logical that the need for home care will continue to increase as the push to decrease hospital lengths of stay becomes more intense. Nurses in home care help patients cope with complicated and sometimes long-standing problems, and enlist the aid of a team of professionals, including therapists and social workers.
Some Preparation for Caring
Caring for the elderly is always a team effort, and a certificate in aging offered at the post-baccalaureate level is open to a variety of healthcare professionals, says Andrea Nevins, MPH, director of certificate programs at Brookdale Center on Aging in NYC. Affiliated with Hunter College, the center is the largest gerontology center in the tri-state area, and its mission is to provide advanced training for professionals interested in specializing in the field.
"The program is geared toward the working professional - most of the classes are in the early evening," she says. "It offers three types of
certificates -
· Aging
· Aging and mental health
· Geriatric care management."
Step Into a New Field
Geriatric Care Management is a relatively new specialty that has huge potential for growth, according to Nevins. As families cope with decisions about the care of elderly family members, they look to professionals who can advise them about available options. "This management program prepares the professional to work in a variety of settings, either as an independent practitioner or for a facility, and to act as care manager for the patient and the family. The program was begun to fill a need - too many people are hanging out a shingle as care managers when they don't have the requisite knowledge and skills."
The two-year program, consisting of four semesters, includes three basic types of courses. The first part of the program presents courses called "aging foundation" geared to give a basic knowledge of aging.
A series of business courses are included to prepare the care manager who chooses to go into private practice. Healthcare professionals need this additional training to successfully manage their practices. The final part of the program focuses on clinical and social issues that are part of the long-term care continuum, including housing, nursing homes, long-term care, and other care options.
For those nurses geared to holistic and interdisciplinary approaches to managing patient care, the career path would be a perfect fit. "There are societal, ethical, and financial issues we all have to struggle with in terms of how we care for older people," says Baumann.
Nurses have the broad knowledge base that is critical as they make decisions about the care of the elderly, an issue they all have to face as members of society and in their personal lives. It's good that the 'boomers' - a large, relatively healthy group - have never been shy about expressing their needs.
Marylisa Kinsley Kissinger, RN, BSN, is a frequent contributor to Nursing Spectrum.
Reader Comments
Login