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What Does a Geriatric Nurse Do?

Geriatric nurses care for senior citizens in hospitals, long-term care facilities, day facilities, or provide home health care. While basic care for senior citizens is similar to that of people of any age, the field of geriatrics--or gerontology--takes this basic care and refines it for the elderly.

A nurse working in geriatrics can be available to ease the pain of a dying grandmother, soothe a scared Alzheimer patient, feed a woman who had a stroke, or visit an elderly couple at home to ensure they are taking their medications and are managing on their own. As well, a geriatric nurse often deals with the families of their patients, helping everyone to work as a team.

Education & Training Required to Become a Geriatric Nurse

Although any nurse who works with seniors becomes experienced with their needs, nurses are encouraged to become certified in geriatrics through certificates or geriatric nursing degree programs. You can find programs on campus at local community colleges and universities and online as well. Degrees are available at the associate's, bachelor's, and master's levels.

Once you have completed one of the geriatric nursing degree programs, you can write a licensing examination and apply for certification from the National Gerontological Nursing Association.

Typical Characteristics of a Geriatric Nurse

While there is no typical geriatric nurse, there are some people who are better suited to work with senior citizens.

The approach to nursing is different in geriatrics. While geriatric nurses do help their patients heal, much of their time and skill goes to helping their patients rehabilitate, making their patients comfortable, and teaching them to cope with deficits and deterioration of their health and skills. Often, their geriatric patients have no visitors or they see their family infrequently, so nurses and patients form bonds that may not normally occur in an acute care hospital.

A geriatric nurse has to understand how frustrating it can be for senior citizens to find themselves weaker than they once were and dependent on others for care.

High Demand for Geriatric Nurses

As the population in North America ages, geriatric nurses will be in high demand.

• In 2000, 12.4 percent (35 million) of Americans were 65 years or older.
• By 2030, it's estimated Americans over 65 will make up 19.6 percent (71 million) of the population.
• By 2030, there will be 19.5 million people 80 years or older.

As people live longer and are affected with more chronic diseases, they will need help from geriatric nurses. Now is the time to get the education necessary to become a geriatric nurse.