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Overview:
Gerontological nurses care for the physical and psychosocial
needs of older adults. They focus on maximizing their functional
abilities, as well as
promoting, maintaining, and restoring their physical and mental
health.
Typical
venues: hospitals, community health centers,
senior centers, long-term care facilities, patients’ homes
Education:
active RN licensure
Certification
available through:
American
Nurses Credentialing Center
600
Maryland Avenue, SW, Suite 100 West
Washington,
DC 20024-2571
800-284-2378
General
certification information, including links to FAQs http://www.nursingworld.org/ancc/index.htm
Specific
information about specialty certification
http://www.nursingworld.org/ancc/certify/cert/
catalogs/2000/
bcc/spec.htm#spec18
Specific
information about clinical nurse specialist
certification
http://www.nursingworld.org/ancc/certify/cert/catalogs/
2000/bcc/
clinspec.htm#clin18
General
information about nurse practitioner certification
http://www.nursingworld.org/ancc/certify/cert/catalogs/
2000/cbt/nursprac.htm
Job
outlook: Nursing as a whole will be one of the top
10 fastest growing professions in the U.S. in the next decade,
according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Employment in
long-term care facilities is expected to grow particularly
rapidly.
Opportunities:
increasing opportunities for gerontological nurses, since
the fastest growing population is among people over 85
Challenges:
dealing with patients’ deaths; decreased mental capabilities
of some patients may
make it difficult to involve them in the decision-making process
to maximize their independence
For
more information:
National
Gerontological Nursing Association
7794
Grow Drive
Pensacola,
FL 32514
Phone (800)
723-0560
Fax (850)
484-8762
www.ngna.org
Related
features on the NurseWeek Web site:
Failing
the Elderly: Tomorrow’s nurses may not have what it takes
to care for a graying population
http://www.nurseweek.com/features/00-01/elderly.html
Back-breaking
drug costs: Rising prices of prescriptions force older patients
to make trade-offs
http://www.nurseweek.com/news/features/00-10/drugs.asp
Gerontology
mail order and online courses
http://www.nurseweek.com/career/homstudy.html
#gerontology
Salary
Wizard (http://www.nurseweek.com/salary/index.html)
Job
Search (http://www.nurseweek.com/jobs/jobsearch.asp)
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