As the population of the United States increases, the demand for skilled nurses does also. After comparing Sam Houston State University, University of texas at San Antonio, and Texas A&M University, based on my criteria of tuition costs, location, and the enrollment requirements, Sam Houston University would be the best choice in helping me pursue a career as a Gerontological nurse specialist. Being in the field of nursing takes a lot of time and effort, but can be a great career to pursue after college. Entering into the field of gerontological nursing opens up so many opportunities to help elderly patients. According to the online job description, “People working in this profession help rehabilitate patients after injuries, conduct
Long-term care (LTC) covers a wide range of clinical and social services for those who need assistance due to functional limitations. These limitations usually result from complications associated with age related chronic conditions, from disabilities related to birth defects, brain damage, or mental retardation in children; or from major illnesses or injuries suffered by adults (Shi L. & Singh D.A., 2011). LTC encompasses a variety of services including traditional clinical services, social services and housing. Unlike acute care, long-term care is much more complicated and has objectives that are much harder to measure. Acute care mainly focuses on returning patients to their previous functional level and is primarily provided by specialty providers. However, LTC mainly focuses on preventing the physical and mental deterioration of an individual and promoting social adjustments to suit the different stages of decline. In addition the providers of LTC are more diverse than those in acute care and is offered in both formal and informal settings, which include: hospitals, physicians, home care, adult day care, nursing home care, assisted living and even informal caregivers such as friends and family members. Long-term care services have been dominated by community based services, which include informal care (86%, about 10 to 11 million) and formal institutional care delivered in nursing facilities (14%, 1.6 million) (McCall, 2001). Of more than the 10 million Americans estimated to require LTC services, 58% are elderly and 42% are under the age of 65 (Shi L. & Singh D.A., 2011). The users of LTC are either frail elderly or disabled and because of the specific care needs of this population, the care varies based on an indiv...
Possible Benefits: The benefits of participating in the project includes improving the nurses’ knowledge, and skill when assessing and planning care for geriatric patients at high-risk for assault.
Nursing homes are for people who do not have the ability to take care of themselves in their own home. They are similar to hospitals, they provide medical care, physical care, and speech and occupational therapy. For this assignment I was asked to go to a nursing home and ask the facility questions and make my own observations. I was able to choose a facility easily due to the day my mom has been a CNA at the Gorham house for about two years. She works in the unit where people are mostly in the last stages of their lives, so they require a lot of assistance. After being able to make my quick visit, I was able to ask many questions and made observations on what it is like to work and to live in these facilities.
Nursing 231 has helped me grow academically and it has also helped me become more confident in myself. Prior to 231 I had little confident in myself due to my test grades. My grades have not improved nor have they gotten worse, but I now have a different mindset. I have realized that I am a bad test taker and that is what I need to improve. However, I am an excellent nursing student and I will soon become an excellent nurse. I have learned that I should not let a C average discourage me because that does not reflect on the type of nurse I will be.
Nursing assistants work in many types of settings including nursing homes, hospice, mental health centers, assisted living residences, home care agencies, hospitals, rehabilitation and restorative care facilities (Sorrentuino & Remmert, 2012). There are many types of Long-term care centers. For this paper, I will focus on the long-term care centers often referred to as nursing homes. These LTCs are "licensed facilities that provide extended care for individuals who do not require the acute care provided in a hospital but who need more care than can be given at home" (U.S Department of Health And Human...
Over the years, the amount of research has increased especially for individuals in nursing home dealing with depression. Current research has demonstrated that the prevalence of depression in nursing homes has been consistently high (Llewellyn-Jones & Snowdon, 2007, p. 629). However, current research has been done in order to determine the perception of the nursing home resident on depression. Even though healthcare workers fail to recognize depression in nursing home residents, nursing home residents with depression should seek treatment such as cognitive-behavioral-therapy for the sake that nursing home residents with depression who do not seek treatment will have an effect on their
Nelson, A., Powell-Cope, G., Palacios, P., Luther, L. S., Black, T., Hillman, T., Christiansen, B., . . . . Nathenson, P., (2007). Web. Rehabilitation Nursing. Nurse Staffing and Patient Outcomes in Inpatient and Rehabilitation Settings. Rehabilitation Nursing, Vol. 32, 179-200.
Our current health care system is already overwhelmed by the influx of older patients. If we do not take action now to remedy this shortage, we will jeopardize the future of our aging society’s health. Elder Workforce Alliance urges action for federally mandated requirements of geriatric training in all health professions, positive working conditions for healthcare providers devoted to elder care and redesigns of healthcare delivery models to achieve higher quality of care for geriatric patients.
Kick, Ella. "Overview: Health Care and the Aging Population: What Are Today's Challenges?" The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing. N.p., n.d. Web.
An important step to decrease an ageist attitude is to take a step back and recognize biases and preconceived ideas that one has about older adults (DeBrew, 2015). Recognizing biases in combination with furthering one’s education about the effects of aging and the specific needs of older adults will help increase compassionate care. To allow for effective interventions it is important that the nurse understand that illness and infection manifest differently in older adults than they do in the younger population (DeBrew, 2015). In addition, through ethnographic study it was found that when nurses spend time doing activities with older adults it helps strengthen relationships and sense of community between care providers and elderly patients (DeBrew, 2015). According to the article, “occupational therapists who worked with older adults felt ‘stigmatized’ by their peers because their work was viewed as less challenging and requiring less skill and intellect than caring for other populations” (DeBrew, 2015). To promote compassionate patient care it is important that nurses and other professionals get support from their peers to confirm that their work is not insignificant and looked down upon. Finally, include the older adult while creating the plan of care to show them that they are a valued part of their healthcare
One of the most enduring shortages is in long- term care. Though increase in population is a considered a factor affecting the shortage, the aging of the present workforce is also a determinant. Staffing of nurses is a difficult take and this tends to take a strain on the older nurses. Nurses, particularly the more tenured one nurses and working parents, often find themselves trying to manage work and home responsibilities. The high physical demands of the profession is also another factor leading to the shortage. Nurses are at risk for back and other injuries from lifting patients, exposure to infectious agents such as HIV, H1N1 influenza virus, Ebola virus (in some parts of Africa) and hazardous substances, adverse effects of shift work, whether working nights or rotating shifts; injuries from the violent behavior of patients and others. The collective post effects of these conditions over the career span of a nurse can take its toll physically and
Not enough care and support for aged care people so young people and parents want to put old people in aged care.
Rehabilitation Nurses are a specialized group of healthcare providers within the sphere of the medical field that focus on rehabilitation, the process of helping people physically recover from, trauma, disability or illness (The Rehabilitation Staff Nurse, n.d.). The primary purpose of a Rehabilitation Nurse revolves around creating a therapeutic environment for a patient and assisting the impaired individual reach maximum function. Generally, their role involves developing a treatment plan that encourages physical activity and helping patients adapt to a new, altered lifestyle (The Rehabilitation Staff Nurse, n.d.). Since rehab treatment relies on trust, support and motivation, the nurse-patient relationship is pivotal to reach the highest
When first hearing about this course and signing up for it, I was very excited to spend more time with older adults considering the fact that I enjoyed it a great deal last semester. Before the beginning of the semester, I did not feel as if I had really gotten into depth into my study of aging and what that means for all involved. I now believe, that through this course and the other courses that I am taking for my gerontology minor, are really beginning to fall into place in my life. With the cohesion becoming exident, I am beginning to understand what it means to age through finally understanding that this topic is not as distant to me as i originally thought.
After having attained a Bachelor’s degree in Zoology and a Master’s degree in Gerontology, I felt I should gain some first-hand experience in physical therapy and thus volunteered to work as a caregiver in a reputed Evergreen rehabilitation center Ga. However, while working as a caregiver I realized I needed to learn much more in order to provide better care in meeting the psychological and physical caring needs of the elderly. I have always had the inherent desire to serve the elderly in reducing their hardships and providing them with the much needed physical and psychological support so that they can lead a happy and trouble-free life.