Role Of A Gerontological Nurse

Gerontological nursing is gaining more popularity in the field of nursing profession

, of late. Moreover, demand for quality nurses in gerontology is more likely to increase in the coming years, thanks to the increasing number of baby boomers in the world and the rapid development in qualitative health care services. Also referred to as geriatric nursing in some parts of the world, this specialized field involves providing adequate care and assistance to the aged/old people, more specifically, those who are aged 65 years and above.

Most of us might have experienced or aware of the problems that accompany the older adults, having seen or interacted with our own grandparents, other relatives aged above 65 and even our own parents who undergo changes as every year passes by and old age appears nearer.

It becomes imperative on the part of the gerontological nurse to understand the challenges that come with taking care of the older results. The complex nature of older adults requires special care and attention.

The gerontological nurse will be responsible for providing adequate specialized care to the aged people, irrespective of the environment or setting. They may be expected to take care of the aged people in a hospital, or in an old-age home, or in a home environment Not only will the setting will be a challenging one, the symptoms from older patients will also challenging and might complicate treatment and diagnosis aspects of patient care.

The nurse is expected to have thorough knowledge and adequate experience in the treatment of diseases, including the atypical symptoms, disease processes and syndromes that typically accompany an aged person. While providing care and assistance to the older patients, the nurse should be aware of the various possible complications and risk factors in the treatment.

In addition to nursing care and assistance, a gerontological nurse has some additional responsibilities as well. He or she has to take up the role of teaching to the aged persons, especially in connection with the slight modification in the life style to counter the consequences of atypical symptoms that accompany the old age. The nurse should teach the older persons about the importance of weight maintenance, indulging in some sort of physical activities as exercises and stress management to deal with the old age with cheer and happiness. The risk for diseases such as heart attack, stroke, and even cancer are more in old persons than the younger ones. The gerontological nurse should educate the aged / old age patients about the ways and means to lessen the risk of such diseases.

A gerontological nurse is expected to have some additional traits or qualifications. He or she should act as a manager for the patient, displaying managerial qualities in connection with day-to-day activities of the patient. The family responsibilities of an aged person invariably might be more, and as such, it becomes the responsibility of the nurse to schedule the routine activities of the patient in such cases, so that there will not be any complications for health.

The gerontological nurse, entrusted with the responsibility of providing health care and assistance to an old person, should ensure that the autonomy or individualism of the patient is not affected. The nurse should, at times, act as an advocate for the patient, and ensure that the patient's independency and dignity are not diluted or encroached.

by: Tami Atila

POST COMMENT

The Grass Is Always Greener Keeping Toddlers Busy While Flying Mel Gibson Age – Still Believe That He Is Innocent Where To Buy The Best Natural Bath Oil How Much Do The World's Best Some Guidelines To Effective Gutter Cleaning During The Fall Season Which Types Of Hydroponic Grow Lights Do You Need? Tax Menace… Behave! Hip Hop Bling For Cheap The Benefits Of Using Natural Organic Skincare Go Watch Buffalo Sabres vs Edmonton Oilers Free Live Bling Ring Alexis Neiers Vanity Fair Hearing Aids –What's the Best?