Your Guide to Becoming a Geriatric Nurse Practitioner

With the increase in life expectancy and an aging population, there is a growing need for specialized healthcare professionals who are dedicated to the healthcare needs of older adults. This has resulted in a new specialization in the nursing field referred to as GNPs – or - Geriatric Nurse Practitioners. The primary role of GNP nurses is to care for older patients and to assist them in overcoming health challenges they face with an intent to improve their quality of life. For this, they utilize all-inclusive functional and psycho social management strategies when dealing with health and illness.  

The Typical Duties of a Geriatric Nurse:

A Geriatric Nurse Practitioner treats and cares for older patients. The majority of older patients suffer from multiple ailments. That’s why GNPs need to always be on alert regarding their patient’s possible existing conditions by keeping record of new symptoms, and all drug interactions. As compared to a general practitioner, they are more likely to be involved in long-term care, prescribing physical therapies from time to time, and adjusting medications. 

Typical Healthcare Settings for Geriatric Nurses:

• Hospitals 
• Community and Government agencies
• Clinical practices,
• Hospice services
• Long-term care facilities
• Research universities
• Home Health Services
• Counseling centers

Besides the above-mentioned medical facilities, a geriatric nurse can also be employed in an outpatient clinic, a palliative care clinic, and serve as a consultant to private companies who are dedicated to the care of older patients. Working with these private companies calls for some travelling, as they need to visit the patient at their home, and then counsel the family members or primary care giver. 

Academic Qualifications and Credentials:

A nursing student aspiring to be a Geriatric Nurse needs to have a Bachelor’s degree in nursing or any other healthcare field from a recognized institute. After successfully completing their degree, they need to get their license to practice as an RN and then gain relevant experience in the field. After gaining this experience, they can pursue a PG course or specialization course in geriatric care. 

INSCOL offers one-year graduate certificate in Gerontology in partnership with Niagara College, Welland Campus Canada. Gerontology Program For IEN is designed for internationally educated nurses and she dslight on many essential concepts such as care planning, effective geriatric care, common cognitive challenges faced by older patients, and critical thinking & decision-making. 

Visit at inscol.com to explore the top nursing courses in Canada for international students.

Take it Easy Nurse! Here is How You Can Solve the Patient Care Problems – Part II

While in the previous section of this blog, we have discussed about the identity crisis and the confusion caused to the patients, there is certainly a lot more to be added yet. You may know how most of the problems need solutions. However, did you know that sometimes only maturity helps in outgrowing them?

Problem Caused Because of Language Barrier

The most common of all, is the language related barrier. On one hand, you try to communicate effectively and make the patient a part of the conversation. However, are you still using medical jargon? How a patient with non-medical background and zero experience in the medical field will understand those heavy terms that you include?

For instance, many of us do not know what 'vitals' mean. When a nurse utters the need to examine the vitals, a patient, in most of the cases, is left perplexed. How would you feel if someone grabs your arm to examine your blood pressure with no warning? With no doubt, you'll be frightened.

The solution: Certain phrases are understood only by health care professionals. Make sure you use simpler terms and phrases in front of the patients.

Problems Caused Because of the Constant Interruptions 

Hospitals are known for their 24*7 activities. No one can think of comfortably resting in the premises of a hospital. You must have noticed how the hospital staff keeps on moving here and there, taking care of a million things. This, however, tends to interrupt the patient's sleep.

Sure, the hospital's staff tries to balance the equation by minimizing the interruptions in the night hours. However, think of a patient who hasn’t slept at night because of pain. The patient will certainly be irritated because of the constant interruptions during daytime when he'll try to compensate the sleeping hours.

The solution: Communicate with your peers. Take out 15 minutes in the beginning of the day in order to divide tasks. Make sure you do not have to enter a patient ward more than twice, until an emergency. While on a round, just ask the patients for their future needs. For instance, does anyone need food? Does anyone need medicine? Does anyone need to go to the bathroom? This way you become pro-active and take care of the things ahead of time. This saves you from the double or triple rounds a day.

Do you want to work your magic and become a global nurse? Sure, you can! The mission of INSCOL is to transform Indian nurses to global nurses. A successful and bright career awaits! Don't miss a chance to grab more details. For more information about Specialized Nursing Programs, you can visit -http://www.inscol.com.

Take it Easy Nurse! Here is How You Can Solve the Patient Care Problems – Part I

We know, as a nurse you must be having some of the greatest advices for your patients. There are, however, some problems that patients face and yet are left unnoticed. This results in lack of patient care and thereby irritable patients.

Not only nurses find satisfaction in taking care of their patients, above all, it's also a nurse's responsibility to make patients feel comfortable in the hospital premises or wherever the nurses intend to provide health care. Is it difficult? - Not at all. Is it worth it? - Sure it is.

'Who is Who' Problem of the Patients

Unidentifiable scrubs or color of the uniforms of the health care professionals and the other staff confuses the patients. Patients get to meet many of the members of the hospital staff. The nursing staff, the doctor, the cleaning staff and the list may go on and on.

The solution: Do patients know them? - No. In fact, patients suffer from an identity crisis. Unfamiliarity brings chaos. Name tags along with the designation and colored scrubs for different staffs, however, lead to familiarity. In addition, you can try to introduce yourself, and even the other staff who enters, so that the patient knows whom he/she is meeting. This may also remind the other staff about the need of introduction.

Understandably Lost and Confused Patients

Patients may often feel left out of the hospital's staff conversations. Mostly, they are out of the loop of the various procedures, processes, and information about their health in general and thus left confused. Isn't it apparent that not knowing what's going around you will leave you perplexed? Somehow, even patients feel frightened when they are unaware of the plans concerning them.

How to solve this problem? Who does not know how nurses are notoriously multitasking human beings! You can certainly use this trait while treating your patients. Enter the room with full information about the patient's health condition and make them know. Also, if the patient is to be taken for a test, make sure you're able to explain him/her how the process goes.

For more tips related to the patient's care, stay tuned. Until then, remember - Sometimes, the solution lies in the problem itself, all we need is a little maturity.