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NURS 405

I. Course Title: RN Gerontological Nursing

II. Course Number: NURS 405

III. Credit Hours: 3 credits

IV. Prerequisites: None

V. Course Description: This course focuses on the aging process to include biological, sociological, psychological, and spiritual components with clinical applications in the provision of care to older adult clients in a variety of settings, such as the community, assisted living facilities, acute care facilities, rehabilitation centers, and long-term care facilities.

VI. Detailed Description of Content of the Course:

Topic Outline:

1) Foundations of Gerontological Nursing

  • a. Introduction to Gerontological Nursing
  • b. The Aging Population
  • c. Theories of Aging

2) Communication and Assessment

  • a. Therapeutic and Interprofessional Communication with Older Adults, Families, Caregivers
  • b. Teaching Older Adults and Their Families
  • c. Comprehensive Assessment of the Older Adult

3) Health Promotion, Risk Reduction, and Disease Prevention

  • a. Promoting Healthy Aging
  • b. Identifying and Preventing Common Risk Factors in the Elderly

4) Illness and Disease Management

  • a. Management of Common Illnesses, Diseases, and Health Conditions
  • b. Nursing Management of Dementia

5) Management of Geriatric Syndromes

  • a. Pain Management and Polypharmacy
  • b. Safety and Falls in the Older Adult
  • c. Delirium
  • d. Anxiety and Depression in the Older Adult
  • e. Urinary Incontinence
  • f. Sleep Disorders
  • g. Dysphagia and Malnutrition
  • h. Pressure Injuries

6) Leadership and Responsibility

  • a. The Gerontological Nurse as Manager and Leader
  • b. Ethical/Legal Principles and Issues

7) Gerontological Care Issues

  • a. Culture and Spirituality
  • b. Sexuality
  • c. Abuse and Mistreatment of Older Adults
  • d. Alternative Health Modalities
  • e. Caring Across the Continuum
  • f. End-of-Life Care
  • g. Global Models of Health Care

VII. Goals and Objectives of the Course:

Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:

  1. Utilize scientific principles of nursing knowledge in increasingly complex situations when providing multidimensional care to older adults, their families and their aggregates. (E- II, V, VI; PO- 2,5,6)    
  2. Discuss evidence-based nursing interventions for managing the care of older adults, promoting healthy aging, and advocating for high quality and safe patient care. (E- II, III, VI, VII; PO- 2, 3, 6, 7)
  3. Examine evidence-based research findings, clinical judgment, and interprofessional perspectives for the older adult, as well as their caregivers. (E- I, III, VI, VII; PO- 1, 3, 6, 7)
  4. Demonstrate knowledge of frameworks for ethical decision making and advocating for safe, quality care for the older adult. (E- I, VIII; PO-1, 8)
  5. Discuss evidence-based assessment tools using developmentally and culturally appropriate approaches. (E-III, IV, VII; PO- 3, 4, 7)
  6. Articulate management of care to maximize health, independence, and quality of life for older adults in all care settings. (E- II, VII, IX; PO- 2, 7, 9)
  7. Integrate knowledge to identify, report, refer, and manage elder abuse and exploitation. (E- V, VIII; PO- 5, 8)

 

Other Course Information: None

 

Review and Approval

March 01, 2021