1. What is a Geriatric nurse?
A geriatric nurse is a registered nurse who specializes in the care of the elderly. They often provide care to weak and elderly patients with long-term, chronic medical issues that are not the result of acute sickness or accident. Their principal responsibility is to offer patients and families comprehensive and specialized treatment.
2. How to be a Geriatric nurse with NCLEX Practice Questions
In order to become a geriatric nurse, you must be through these 4 steps:
Step 1: Graduate from a nursing science institution or get an associate degree in nursing
After four years of study, you may want to pursue a bachelor's degree (BSN) or an associate degree (ADN). However, because not every hospital or clinical institution accepts ADN, you should carefully analyze your options.
Step 2: Train to be a Registered Nurse (RN)
Every nurse who wishes to develop in their career must have an RN license. The National Council for State Boards of Nursing created the RN test (NCSBN). To validate your talents and skills in nursing areas such as promoting and maintaining health, psychological and physiological integrity, and building a safe and effective care environment, you will be needed to pass the NCLEX-RN test.
A suggestion for you is to take some NCLEX Practice questions, a good tool for learners to score better in the real exam.
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Step 3: Gain hands-on experience
It is beneficial and generally mandatory to gain hands-on experience as a nurse before focusing on a specialty field such as gerontology. Some institutions need two or more years of bedside nursing experience before advancing to geriatrics.
Step 4: Acquire certification
The American Nurses Credentialing Center certifies registered nurses in gerontological nursing (ANCC). The following are the prerequisites:
Currently possess a Registered Nurse license
Have at least two years of full-time RN experience (or equivalent)
Have completed at least 2,000 hours of clinical gerontological nursing practice in 3 recent years
Have completed 30 hours of gerontological nursing continuing education in recent 3 years
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3. What are the needed skills for a geriatric nurse?
A geriatric nurse must, in general, have the same abilities as an RN. Working with the elderly necessitates not just technical but also communication abilities. There are a few examples:
Understanding: As adults aged, our bodies alter gradually. A qualified geriatric nurse must comprehend the difference between what is normal and what is abnormal. Nutritional needs decrease as appetites wane. A senior citizen's skin, for example, dries up and becomes more delicate, demanding at least eight to ten glasses of liquids every day.
Communicating: As their hearing becomes deafening, your patients may find it difficult to communicate. You must be able to identify their level of health and mental well-being even if they are not open with information. Nonverbal communication may be given greater weight.
Attitude: Because everyone's aging process is different, some patients may develop a negative attitude. You should be able to help them stay as optimistic as possible while dealing with their worries and anger. You must also be able to recover from patient loss, which is an awful part of the profession, and retain a cheerful attitude while working with others.
Compassion: Always attempt to be understanding and sympathetic when working with elderly patients. Even if you don't have the same experiences, finding common ground can help you create personal relationships with your patients, making their stay with you more tolerable.
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If you decide to be a geriatric nurse, be sure you are well-prepared for a long-term of learning journey. We know it is might hard sometimes, but if you determine and know what to do, you can achieve your goals. In addition, don’t forget to take the NCLEX practice questions in order to gain more knowledge and exam experience.
