Everyone deserves healthcare that addresses their specific needs. This includes the geriatric population — among which geriatric nurses play a key role. Geriatric care is becoming even more in demand as the elderly population with chronic illnesses increases by the day.
According to Incredible Health, geriatric nurses do not only care for older patients. They also “assist with administering medications, educating patients and caregivers, and guiding daily activities.” Nurses within this scope must care for all patients holistically and compassionately. This means nurses need to form strong bonds with their patients, as they may ultimately be the ones seeing geriatric patients through their last passage of life.
As Incredible Health notes, these nurses have many responsibilities, including administering medications, collecting blood samples and tests, exercising and massaging patients, helping patients with daily tasks and more.
The online Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) – Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (ACNP) program at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (UMHB) equips graduates with foundational nursing skills and specialized knowledge to care for older populations.
Six General Principles Central to Geriatric Care
All nurses must adopt and follow six general principles for geriatric care throughout their practice. APTA Geriatrics notes that these general principles must apply to all patients, regardless of outpatient health or home health status:
- Use person-centered care to prioritize the individual’s preferences, values and goals.
- Practice anti-ageist care.
- Conduct holistic assessments and evaluations to guide the treatment plan.
- Complete interventions by providing positive physical therapy care rooted in evidence-based practice.
- Encourage physical activity to promote health, well-being, chronic disease prevention and enhanced mobility.
- Prioritize interprofessional, inclusive and collaborative practices.
Specific Challenges of the Geriatric Population
Older adults need the same compassion and safety from nurses as every other patient demographic. However, there are a handful of best practices unique to geriatric care that nurses should know.
For example, many geriatric patients do not understand their health challenges and why they are happening. Patients may experience hearing loss, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia or various other illnesses that perplex them. When this happens, nurses must discuss their condition with them thoroughly and help them understand they will receive the best care possible.
Additionally, some patients might not want to take medication(s) that have been prescribed to them because it makes them feel different. During this period, nurses should encourage patients to practice medication adherence and remind them of its advantages. They can also look at other holistic ways to help their patients outside of ingesting prescription or over-the-counter medicine or undergoing invasive measures.
All geriatric nurses should talk to patients in a manner that shows respect and kindness, which geriatric patients often need. It can be a difficult transition for geriatric patients, as they are accustomed to the wellness they had when they were younger and can have a hard time accepting this new era of their life.
Older patients often become upset because they want to perform tasks independently but now need help from nurses and caregivers. Geriatric nurses need to recognize that it is okay for patients to do tasks by themselves at certain times, but they should be available to help when needed. Patient safety is of utmost importance.
Cultivate Compassion as a Geriatric Nurse With a Master’s Degree
One way to cultivate compassion as a nursing professional is to further your career and earn your MSN degree. Those who enroll in UMHB’s online MSN – Adult Gero ACNP program can advance their practice in acute care or other clinical environments.
Nursing students in the program will gain the skills to help improve the quality of patient care for adult gerontology. They will also learn to thrive in an evolving healthcare landscape. The program allows students to explore various healthcare delivery models, managed care, regulatory influences and legal issues in pharmacology.
For example, the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Roles & Business Principles course covers the basics of the obligations of a nurse practitioner and the types of tasks they uphold. In the Advanced Nursing Care for the Acutely Ill Adult II course, students explore how adult gerontology acute care nurse practitioners manage complex patients in the acute setting.
Each future geriatric nurse will obtain the knowledge and skills necessary to enter influential roles in the healthcare field such as chief nurse officer, chief executive or administrator. Due to the program’s accelerated nature, students can graduate in as few as 16 months.
Learn more about UMHB’s online Master of Science in Nursing – Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner program.