[VickyRN]

I will be teaching a 2-hr undergraduate course in geriatric nursing (Health of the Older Adult) - in the fall, for 1st semester seniors. I am excited about this opportunity and want to do my best. However, this will be my first time teaching content exclusively dedicated to the elder. The course objectives are very broad, as is the course description.

I would greatly appreciate any suggestions for effectively narrowing down the content. The course is only 2 hrs per week, so a comprehensive course on geriatric nursing is out of the question. I need to concentrate on topics that are most pertinent to geriatric nursing and would appreciate any insightful comments or words of wisdom. I don't want to overwhelm the students (or myself!) with MOUNDS of material. On the other hand, I want to effectively cover the most pertinent topics, as geriatric nursing is moving to the forefront in importance as our graduates encounter an increasingly elderly population.

The AACN offers guidelines for teaching geriatric content, but again these are much too broad (i.e. everything in the planet!) to be of practical significance to me. We do weave geriatric content throughout our curriculum in our college of nursing.

Any advice or suggestions for teaching this exciting content would be most appreciated

[sdprcrn]

I would focus my discussions on the following:
1) Address the effects of aging on psycosocial dynamics.
2) Address the most common illnesses that require nursing care. ( i.e., falls, depression, COPD,CHF etc.)
3) Address the need to scrutinize the pharmacotherapeutics for the elderly.
4) Address the effects of aging on physical assessments and altering care plans accordingly.

Also you can check with your local Department of Health or since most states have an Agency on Aging or Aging Council you may find some pertinent information to focus on there.

[BigBadInstructor]

I also teach a gerontolgy course that is 2 hours a week, and you are right to anticipate the need to limit what you will teach. I would also add the sexuality of the older adult. Since this is the age group that has the fastest HIV/AIDS rates, and education on STDs are critical. Good luck.

[marachne]

I realize this won't necessarily help you in the immediate future, but something for ya'll to be aware of is the GNEC training offered by AACN and the Hartford Geriatric Nursing Initiative (HGNI). Miriam Details below: AACN Faculty Training: Enhancing Gerontology Content in Baccalaureate Courses "We are extremely grateful for the opportunity we had to be pioneer participants in the GNEC Training Institute. The institute was absolutely amazing. The carefully selected speakers were impressive. We are excited to put into action the direction you have given us." -Donna F. Richards, PhD, RN, and Valerie Flattes, RN, GNP, University of Utah In recognition of the need for faculty development in geriatrics, AACN invites faculty to attend one of the upcoming Geriatric Nursing Education Consortium (GNEC) faculty training institutes. GNEC is an innovative national initiative to enhance geriatric content in senior-level baccalaureate courses. GNEC focuses on faculty development as a necessary precursor to successfully implementing and sustaining enhancements in nursing education programs. This institute provides nursing educators with the skills, knowledge, and resources needed to ensure that the best geriatric practices are imbedded in baccalaureate curricula and subsequently in the clinical care provided by newly educated nurses. Using a train-the-trainer approach, nursing faculty are prepared to lead their colleagues in "gerontologizing" senior-level curricula as well as teaching and mentoring students in the care of older adults. GNEC has now held three of the six scheduled training institutes. AACN is well on its way to achieving its objective to educate faculty at a majority of the baccalaureate schools of nursing across the country—415 faculty representing 231 schools of nursing from 44 states have been trained thus far. The remaining three institutes are scheduled for October 14-16, 2008, in St. Louis, MO, April 1-3, 2009, in San Diego, CA, and June 24-26, 2009, in Philadelphia, PA. The application deadline for the St. Louis Institute has been extended to July 15, 2008. There is no registration fee or tuition for these institutes. Up to two applicants per baccalaureate school of nursing are eligible for a stipend to help defer travel expenses. For more information or to apply, see: www.aacn.nche.edu/gnec.htm .