Older Adult Health Care Is Focus of NLN Reflection & Dialogue

[VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN]

[color=#234c84]setting standards for teaching nursing students how to manage the complexity of care is crucial

[color=#234c84]new york, ny-march 15, 2010-asserting that a major gap exists in the knowledge and experience nursing students receive for the care of older adults, the national league for nursing asks, "how will nurse faculty substantively change pre-licensure nursing curricula to teach students to manage the complexity of care for older adults in emerging environments?" said nln president dr. cathleen shultz, "we are fortunate that forward thinking funders such as the [color=#234c84]john a. hartford foundation advocate for the integration and strengthening of learning experiences about nursing care for older adults. the nln's [color=#234c84]aces (advancing care excellence for seniors) project, a partnership with [color=#234c84]community college of philadelphia, funded by the hartford foundation, the [color=#234c84]independence foundation, and [color=#234c84]laerdal medical, is the latest such effort to foster gerontological integration in all pre-licensure nursing programs nationally." the most recent entry in the nln's reflection & dialogue series, "care of older adults" posits that though it is agreed that nursing students must understand that coordinating care during significant life transitions for older adults is fundamental to ensuring culturally competent, individualized, holistic care, this focus may not be sufficiently emphasized in today's nursing curricula. "it is essential to our mission to advance excellence in nursing education to build a strong and diverse nursing workforce that the league leads in setting standards for teaching students how to manage care for multi-ethnic older adults," explained ceo dr. beverly malone. "nursing education's focus must be on health promotion in a wide variety of environments, such as independent living, rehabilitation and home settings, and acute care facilities." "care of older adults" concludes with a series of questions designed to encourage reflection about this issue and invites others to join in the dialogue via the nln website at www.nln.org/aboutnln/reflection_dialogue/refl_dial_5.htm. the entire series, available at www.nln.org/aboutnln/reflection_dialogue/index.htm, reflects the input of members of the nln's board of governors and past presidents and offers an opportunity for reflection and dialogue with the nursing education community on important issues. [color=#234c84] [color=#234c84]for more information and interview opportunities please contact nln chief communications officer karen r. klestzick at 212-812-0376, [email protected][color=#234c84].