Geriatric nursing involves caring for the elderly, who have complex needs. Geriatric nurses must offer emotional support, coordinate with families, and work in a variety of settings. Professional organizations offer training and support, but the job can be emotionally stressful due to the unique challenges of caring for older patients.
Geriatric nursing is a subfield of nursing that involves the care of the elderly. Seniors have special needs that can become very complex, making job prospects in the geriatric nursing field very good. As people are living longer with the assistance of modern medical developments, many older people require extensive special care from members of the health profession who specialize in geriatric health issues. To become a geriatric nurse, someone must generally qualify as a nurse practitioner and take additional courses in this type of nursing to learn how to meet the specific needs of older patients.
You may also hear this field of nursing referred to as “gerontology nursing,” depending on regional preferences. Numerous geriatric nursing professional organizations can be found around the world, offering additional training, certification, and support for individuals working in this field. These nurses can also take advantage of peer reviewed journals, research programs, conferences, and other things that are designed to promote knowledge and cooperation in the field.
Elderly care can be very complex. In addition to providing primary care nursing services, a geriatric nurse must also offer emotional support to patients, keeping an eye out for their mental health and keeping an eye out for medical conditions that can quickly emerge in the elderly. These nurses also need to be able to coordinate with their patients’ families and sometimes work hand-in-hand with family caregivers, offering training to help them care for their family members while undertaking complex nursing tasks.
Geriatric nursing can occur in a variety of settings. Some nurses work in institutions such as hospitals, residential care facilities and retirement communities, with some specializing in unique nursing needs such as geriatric mental health or the care of people with dementia. Other people in this field prefer to work in home nursing, either as live-in providers or visiting nurses who may be part of a team of caregivers.
Working in this field can be emotionally stressful at times. Elderly patients are more likely to die, and older adults can also experience neglect and abuse. These nurses work very hard to provide respectful and loving care to their patients, but they are part of a bigger picture and cannot be there all the time to care for their patients. Older people may also struggle with a variety of medical and financial issues that can contribute to depression and other mental health issues, creating unique challenges for their caregivers.
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