Moving to Geriatrics

[Betty Wilde]

I am an LPN who has worked in Ob/Gyn and Newborne Nursery since graduating from school. Because of family reasons I have been not practiced nursing in seven years.I am seriously thinking of returning to nursing and now find that no hospitals are hiring LPN's in Ob/Gyn any longer in my area. They have been phased out of the acute care hospitals in So. Fla. I find that the only area of nursing is Long Term Care or Nursing Homes. What do you suggest I do to prepare myself for this area of nursing since I have no experience in the nursing home setting other than in clinicals during my training. Should I review Geriatrics in general or can anyone suggest a book or books to use to review that area of nursing. It is important to review IV therapy for nursing home care or is that not really a big part in patient care in that setting? Is it important to be up to date with medical/surgical skills for a nursing home or long term care facility? Thanks for any help you might offer.

[Nanaimo]

Hi Betty,

Congratulations upon your return to nursing...geriatrics have changed considerably; what was once considered custodial care, now presents with a population of much more acutely ill residents.

Hospitals no longer keep patients as long as they used to, and families/communities are able to manage increasingly complex problems at home. Therefore, we are seeing residents in nursing homes with a variety of medical and psychiatric problems that require specialized knowledge and skills on the part of the nursing staff.

There are a variety of books out there now. It would be a good idea to review both geriatric medicine AND geriatric psychiatry, as at least 60% (some quote even higher numbers) of nursing residents will present with a treatable psychiatric disturbance at some point.

I'd be happy to answer any specific questions you may have...happy studying!

Regards,

Jackie Wood RPN, APN

Geriatric Psychiatry CNS/Consultant