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I am an adult NP working at a subacute rehab nursing facility with mostly geriatric patients. Always was interested in Geriatrics but the GNP would have allowed me to see only 55 and up. As an Adult NP I can see folks from the teen years on up. The oldest patient I have seen was 106.
Previously I worked as an RN at an acute rehab facility. After becoming an NP I worked as a cardiac NP at an acute rehabilitation facility and briefly I did Community Health seeing uninsured patients at a clinic.
I notice that the school I graduated from now does not offer the GNP in isolation, instead folks get an ANP/GNP degree. I think this is better because I know of at least one NP working in a subacute nursing facility who cannot see any patients in the facility who are younger than 55.
Typical day. I make a list of at least 10 patient to see for the day. Usually it is folks who are on antibiotics or followups. I also do a comprehensive exam on the new admissions.
Kind of like visiting folks' homes except they all live in the facility.
I review the charts of 5 patients I want to see in the morning. then in the afternoon I see another 5 or 6 patients. Sometimes the RNs or LPNs will ask me to see a patient or a physician will ask me to check on a patient......
I answer family members questions. Many folks are a the end of their lives. I've had patients who are "comfort care" due to failure to thrive. Many of my folks are short term rehab after surgeries.
I write orders for procedures and medications, etc. etc
Hope this answers your questions.
I've thought about becoming a geriatric NP, however, I know that it would be very exhausting work for me, because the docs would use me galore and I think I would miss the on floor work as a geriatric nurse.
Actually, I don't work for the physicians nor the facility. I work for the parent organization of the facility which places NPs in the nursing homes.... makes life easier..the physicians do their work and I do mine.
MommaRN86
28 Posts
Hi All!
Are there any gerontological nurse practitioners out there? I've been a nurse for almost two years, and always planned on becoming a NP. Realized I adore geriatrics. Can anybody tell me about your program? how long it took and about where you are working now? Did it take a while to find a job, and is there a great need in your area? Can you give me an idea about the setting you work in and an average day for you? Thanks in advance for any help!!