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Geriatric Nursing Specialist - Career Profile |
Career OverviewGeriatric nursing specialists care for the elderly, specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of conditions that affect the elderly. They provide care for the elderly population in a variety of setting, developing and implementing treatment plans for patients with both acute and chronic illnesses and injuries.
In a variety of settings, geriatric nurse specialists provide counseling, education, and support to the elderly and their family and caregivers. They may work in hospitals, in nursing homes, clinics, or community healthcare centers. Many are also trained to apply geriatric nursing theory and research to clinical practice as researchers, administrators, consultants, and educators.
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Career RequirementsTo become a Geriatric Nurse Specialist, Registered Nurses typically studies for a Master's Degree in Nursing and receive advanced training in geriatric medicine and care procedures.
A typical CNS divides their work time between five general areas of practice – clinical practice, teaching, research, consulting, and management – and these five areas tend to be the core study areas in most graduate courses.
Most graduate programs for nursing require you to have a valid license to practice as a Registered Nurse (RN) and at least Bachelor's Degree in Science. Many Clinical Nursing Specialists have doctorate degrees, so some courses may require a Master's Degree.
The American Nurses Credentialing Center awards licenses to qualified Clinical Nursing Specialists and is the official source for more information about finding an accredited training course. Contact information features below.
American Nurses Credentialing Center
600 Maryland Ave., SW, Suite 100 West
Washington, D.C. 20024-2571
(800) 284-2378
American Nurses' Association
8518 Georgia Ave.,
Ste. 400,
Silver Spring, MD 20910
www.nursingworld.org
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Job OutlookIn the next decade, nursing will be one of the top 10 fastest growing professions in the United States according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Health care facilities will be looking to cut back on general costs so clinical nurse specialists may become the preferred alternative to more specialized medical professionals.
The future looks bright in the nursing field, with the number of jobs for registered nurses expected to increase at a rate far greater than that of most other jobs in the next couple of years.
Over the next decade or so, the nursing profession is expected to change as well. Nearly one out of every eight Americans is over 65 years of age and the size of the elderly population looks set to double by 2050, according to the US Census Bureau. Nurses specializing in care of the elderly will be in particular demand so opportunities for geriatric nurse specialists are particularly positive.
Hospitals are constantly downsizing, cutting back on the number of general staff, and reducing the time of patients' stay as well, so at home patient care is likely to be the standard practice for nurses in the not too distant future.
There has also been some discussion about dividing the field of nursing into professional nurses and technical nurses. This will distinguish between those who have four-year degrees and those who have associate degrees. Geriatric nurse specialists will likely be more secure in the job market if such a distinction occurs.
As the field develops, there will certainly be increased opportunity for geriatric nurse specialists to demonstrate leadership and to influence the direction of nursing at all levels.
Trends suggest that the education role of geriatric nurse specialists will become increasingly important, too. As patients spend less time in hospital, patient education will become an increasingly crucial part of the overall patient experience. Likewise, as more and more nursing and non-nursing staff members are hired by hospitals, clinics, and other health care establishments, the expertise of geriatric nurse specialists as educators will become yet more crucial.
The role of geriatric nurse specialists is and will remain a vital ingredient to ensure a positive experience for patients and staff.
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Career TrackSee Clinical Nurse Specialist
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CompensationSee Clinical Nurse Specialist
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