Geriatric Nurses Job Description: Tasks, Required Skills, Education, Career Outlook and Salary
Submitted by: Cheska Davenport
Job Overview: Geriatric nurses are specialized in providing direct patient care to elderly patients in hospitals, nursing homes, clinics or at their own homes. They provide a different method of caring for such patients, as the elderly have different needs and reactions to illnesses ad compared to younger people. This type of career has been growing at a fast rate thanks to the growing population of the people approaching the senior years.
Education, Knowledge and Training Required: In order to be a geriatric nurse, one should first finish a degree in nursing and become a registered nurse. Colleges and universities are beginning to offer more classes about geriatrics and gerontology mainly because of the growing demand for geriatric nurses, thus students may encounter more subjects that teach them how to care for the elderly. A bachelor’s degree in nursing is usually the best option to go, although there are associate’s degrees and diploma programs being offered by community colleges and vocational schools, and these last for two to three years.
Skills and Abilities: Geriatric nurses should not only have the knowledge and expertise; they also need to have the passion for their career. They should enjoy working and being around older people, and have an interest in caring for them, including understanding the problems related to aging. Geriatric nurses also need to get along with the patient’s family members as well as other professionals such as scrubs, chaplains, doctors and social workers. They must as well maintain a good temperament and patience, good communication skills and empathy towards the elderly. They should as well know how to explain different medical terminology and procedures for their patients and family members to understand.
Tasks: Geriatric nurses take on different tasks, as their specialization is totally different as compared to the job of a typical nurse. These nurses focus mainly on caring for the elderly. They not only supply the patient’s medications, treatments and food, but as well support them in their physical and emotional well being.
Geriatric nurses serve not only as assistants and health care providers, but also as friends of their elderly patients, friends who can understand and keep up with their childlike demands and behavior. Geriatric nurses help the elderly go to the bathroom, fix their bath and dispose their refuse, as well as clean them up afterwards. These nurses may also serve as confidants of the elderly, and at times they can be seen talking to them about life in general. They also conduct reports and observations which they would submit to their physicians, so as to monitor the progress of their patients.
Earnings and Job Outlook: To become a geriatric nurse is highly processing, and at present nurses in this field earn an average of $54,760. They also tend to earn more when they proceed to administrative positions, such as nursing home administrators.
Cheska Davenport is a career search strategist who focuses on creating power resumes and providing job search advice that aim to help individuals achieve their target goals in the job market.
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