Calling all gerontological Nurse Practitioners....

gettingbsn2msn, MSN, RN · Mar 4, 2011

I am doing the adult NP but most of the patients in my clinical setting are 65 plus. My ANP will allow me to see those from 13 to 100!

mom and nurse · Mar 5, 2011

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.

MouseMichelle · Mar 5, 2011

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.

gettingbsn2msn, MSN, RN · Mar 6, 2011

Do not let the doctors use you to death. It is a collaborative agreement. Always remember, they do not own you.

mom and nurse · Mar 6, 2011

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.