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Challenges and Responses to Geriatric Nursing

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Submitted By butterfly5w
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Challenges and Responses to Improving Geriatric Nursing Care
Lisa Watson
University of Massachusetts Boston
Professional Issues in Nursing
NU: 360
Dr. JoAnn Mulready-Shick
September 29, 2012
Abstract

Challenges occur in nursing practice that impede the ability of the nursing profession to improve the care provide by nurses to our growing older population. This paper will describe some of the challenges nursing is facing and how to make the changes needed to improve the field of nursing. The research will show that investing in future education of nurses is the base that change will be built upon. Will you or a loved one fall into the geriatric population that is expected to explode? How will nurses care for this population and are they prepared to do so? Modern technology, research and advanced training have assisted the elderly population to live longer. Baby boomers are approaching their elderly years. This presents an ongoing challenge for the nursing industry. As reported by Kinsella & Velkoff, “the population of older adults {is} expected to double by the year 2030” (as cited by Shellman, 2012, para. 2). “Of today’s United States population 12.6% is at least 65 years old, and 20% of the population is expected to be at least 65 years by 2030; thus it is accurate to say a large portion of the healthcare business is and will continue to be caring for older adults . . . (CIA World Factbook 2007) as referenced by Grossman and Valiga (2009). There are many challenges that impede how the nursing industry will improve and respond to improving geriatric nursing care. As the population grows older, there are more challenges in how the nursing industry will care for these patients. These challenges include: encouraging more nurses to pursue nursing research, convincing seasoned/working nurses to update their practice with best practices initiatives

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