What should I exactly expect from Geriatric nursing?

[JonJP]

I apologize if this is in the wrong forum however I figured a question such as this could be answered here.

I am going to school right now to get my RN and am finishing up my second semester of pre-reqs with Straight A's

Geriatric Nursing is the field that has interested me the most ever since I have started schooling for nursing. I know the basics of what it is, but I can't seem to find any articles through searches about the downsides of it. I will be doing clinicals for a CNA program this summer and of course it will be included once I get into my nursing program as well.

I like being prepared for what I am about to face and I can't seem to find any information on the bad side of it. what stresses Geriatric nurses out the most? What filters the nurses out who can't exactly handle this type of nursing if there are any things such as that?

The other question I would have at the moment would be is it hard to find a job for this specific field? My counselor has told me that with all of the baby boomers aging all at once that I shouldn't have much of a problem. Additionally I will more than likely have CNA experience working in some kind of care facility if possible.

It is what I want to do most in theory so I am trying to learn the good and the bad about it before I get quite deep into it.

Any information helps immensely and thanks again :)

Thank you for looking and responding! :)

[EmTheNewRN]

I have just accepted my first RN position in LTC/sub-acute, and I have to say your posts (all over AN) have been incredibly encouraging to me. I really want to believe that the place I'm headed into values the right things, but I have all those fears about safety, supplies, staff, families... You always have something positive to say, which is so wonderful.

[EmTheNewRN]

Here is my advice and I've been in long term care since dinosaurs roamed the earth:

Don't listen to people or posters who tell you that all facilities are horrible. I've worked in run down places and beautiful upscale places and no matter what the place looked like, the staff were committed to give excellent care.

I've been a nurses' aide to a DON and everything in between. There are excellent facilities out there with plenty of supplies and reasonable staff.

You can make a difference in someone's life every day.

Not all managers are money grubbing devils.

If you want to work in LTC...listen to yourself.

I'm still learning how to use these forums... My comment was a reply to CapeCodMermaid :)

[CalicoKitty, BSN, MSN, RN]

In case you didn't know, there are Geriatric nurses that don't work in LTC. I just started a job in a medicine floor for geriatric patients in a hospital. While I may eventually work in LTC or perhaps home health, right now I'm very excited to start in a medicine floor. I love the geriatric population. My eventual goal is to work in hospice care, but who knows where I will end up. Right now, I think I've got the best start I could hope for.