Opportunities and Challenges of a Gerontology Nurse
A gerontology nurse, commonly known as a geriatric nurse, is a registered nurse RN who is specialized in caring for older patients, helping them maintain mobility, independence, and increase their quality of life. Geriatric nurses are well trained to deal with the needs of the aging population, including age-related illnesses and health concerns such as arthritis, dementia, cancer, stroke, impaired mobility, and falls. They also work closely with other health practitioners, including primary care physicians, social workers, and families, to ensure that the patients receive the best care.
Specializing in gerontology nursing opens doors to quite a wide range of rewarding and lucrative job opportunities. Geriatric nurses can work in diverse industries, including hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, retirement communities, and in-home care. Working as a geriatric nurse provides increased opportunities in career advancement and growth in various fields such as healthcare, administration, research, and consultancy.
Like any other area of nursing, gerontology nursing comes with a unique set of challenges.
1. Dealing with death
Geriatric nurses deal with older adults, most of whom are battling terminal illnesses and nearing the end of life. Facing death is not only challenging for patients and families, but also for the nurses who are actively involved in providing care. Even with years of experience, geriatric nurses often experience grief and need to identify coping mechanisms and be able to express their feelings and deal with the loss.
2. Patients with Dementia
Dementia is prevalent among older patients. Nurses dealing with demented patients have to be very patient and calm. Both the family and caregivers can get frustrated with patients with memory ailments but must understand that such people require patience, especially when giving instructions. Geriatric nurses may also need to take breaks as a way of refreshing their minds and managing frustrations.
3. Issues with self-care
Older adults are frail, which may interfere with their ability to take care of themselves. Nurses often have to take care of the patients after a fall and frequently witness as their patients gradually lose their ability to take care of themselves.
4. Identifying Abuse and Neglect
Whether it is from family members, financial constraints, or as a result of mental disorder, it is the responsibility of geriatric nurses to identify and report cases of abuse and neglect. Sometimes, witnessing abuse in older helpless patients can be painful and mentally challenging for the nurse.
As challenging as it sounds, the work becomes easier and more rewarding with time. With an increasingly old population, the demand for geriatric nurses is also expected to increase significantly in the next decade, creating more job opportunities.
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