Geriatric nurses care for the elderly, focusing on the development and implementation of

treatment plans for chronic illnesses, including diabetes, hypertension, respiratory disorders and
others. Their job also involves another important componenteducating, supporting and
counseling families of elderly patients who suffer from acute and chronic conditions.
The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) reports that 36 million Americans are
over age 65. Additionally, 63 percent of newly licensed nurses state that older patients make up
the majority of their patient load. With that news, geriatric nurses can anticipate strong job
opportunities in clinical practice as well as in research, administration, consulting and education.

Geriatric Nursing Career Overview

Geriatric nurses work in hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities and community health
centers where they provide care, compassion and friendship to their patients. In addition,
geriatric nurses deliver in-home treatment to patients who require regular medical assistance but
can care for themselves predominantly on their own.
The following duties are typical responsibilities of a geriatric nurse:

Assisting physicians during exams and procedures

Performing patient medical tests in-home or in a medical office

Establishing a patient care plan and setting health goals

Administering medications to patients based on a care plan

Teaching family members about a patient's condition and how to promote selfcare skills

A geriatric nursing career offers numerous rewards and a fair set of challenges. Regardless of the
superior care they provide, geriatric nurses will endure patient deaths. They will also likely
encounter patients with diminishing mental capacities who lose their ability to make independent
decisions about their health.

Geriatric Nurse Education

Geriatric nurses are registered nurses who have completed specialized training or certification in
geriatric care or an advanced gerontological nursing degree.
Graduates can start their geriatric nursing career with a 4-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing
(BSN) degree. To help you advance to higher levels of practice, nursing schools offer Master of

Science in Nursing (MSN) degrees and post-master's programs for clinical nurse specialists
(CNSs) and nurse practitioners (NPs) looking to focus their career on gerontological care.
In general, MSN degrees take two years to complete. And tuition for these programs ranges from
$25,000 to $40,000, depending on the school you choose and whether it is a private or public
nursing school.
The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) offers three main categories of certification
for geriatric nurses, one for RNs and two for advanced practice nurses (APNs). To qualify for
certification, nurses must hold a current, active RN license, have graduated from an accredited
nursing school program and meet specific experience criteria:

Gerontological Nurse Specialistrequires two years of practice as an RN, with

2,000 hours of practice and 30 hours of continuing education in gerontological
nursing in the last three years.

Clinical Nurse Specialist in Gerontological Nursingrequires that your CNS

in gerontology program included 500 hours of faculty-supervised clinical practice
and course work in advanced health assessment, advanced pharmacology and
advanced pathophysiology.

Gerontological Nurse Practitionerrequires that your gerontological NP

program included 500 hours of faculty-supervised clinical practice and course
work in: advanced health assessment, advanced pharmacology and advanced
pathophysiology, plus training across the life span in health promotion, disease
prevention, differential diagnosis and disease management.

Geriatric Nurse Salary

As with any nursing specialty, you can expect your income to vary based on your nursing degree
level, certifications and experience, along with the type of facility where you work and your
geographic location.
Data from PayScale.com indicates that CNSs who focus on geriatrics receive a median annual
salary of $70,000. Those with five or less years of experience in the field make $65,000 to
$68,913 per year, and geriatric nurses with 10 or more years of experience earn salaries above
$75,000.
Geriatric Nursing Career Outlook

The AACN reports that by the year 2030, nearly 20 percent of Americans will be age 65 and
over. In addition, older adults represent half of all hospital stays, nearly two-thirds of all
ambulatory adult primary care visits and almost three-quarters of all home care visits.
Taking these statistics into consideration, geriatric nursing careers will expand significantly over
the coming decades. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that registered nurses (RNs)
working in home health care can anticipate a 39 percent job growth rate. In hospitals and nursing
care facilities, nurses can expect an increase in employment of 22 and 20 percent, respectively.
A geriatric nursing career provides the long-term job growth and meaningful rewards so many
aspiring nurses seek. With the increasing number of older patients in the country, there will be
continuing high demand for the medical expertise as well as personal and professional
commitment and friendship of dedicated geriatric nurses.
Sources
American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2004
Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2009
Nurse Week, 2004
American Nurses Association, 2009
American Nurses Credentialing Center, 2009
Payscale.com, 2009

What are the public health implications of global ageing?

Online Q&A
29 September 2006
Q: What are the public health implications of global ageing?
A: From 2000 until 2050, the world's population aged 60 and over will more than triple from 600
million to 2 billion. Most of this increase is occurring in developing countries - where the
number of older people will rise from 400 million in 2000 to 1.7 billion by 2050.
This demographic change has several implications for public health. Good health is essential for
older people to remain independent and to play a part in family and community life. Life-long
health promotion and disease prevention activities can prevent or delay the onset of noncommunicable and chronic diseases, such as heart disease, stroke and cancer.
When these conditions do occur in older people, primary health services must provide accessible,
integrated and regular care. Chronic diseases require monitoring in order to minimize the

development of associated disabilities and negative effects on the quality of life. The ongoing
nature of the care means it is more effectively provided in community-based settings, such as
primary health care centres.
Public health action can draw on the capacities of older people. For example, the world's
growing population of older people plays a critical role through volunteering, transmitting
experience and knowledge, helping their families with caring responsibilities and increasing their
participation in the paid labour force.