Gerontological Nursing: Competencies for Care

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This book is an easy-to-use textbook, whether the reader is a student in a baccalaureate nursing program or a practicing nurse. It is also handy for the lifelong student who is continually learning and updating his or her practice and clinical skills. At first glance, this textbook does not appear relevant to perioperative nurses' realm of practice; however, there are several sections that may help new and veteran nurses better serve their surgical patients' needs.

The book is the combined effort of more than 40 authors who have expertise in a vast array of issues involved in care for the aging population. Many of these individuals are nurses with master's degrees or doctorates who hold certifications in their practice specialties. New to this second edition are chapters devoted to healthy aging, dementia, and future trends in gerontological nursing practice.

This text has an organizational framework built around 30 competencies listed in a July 2000 document from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing and the John A. Hartford Foundation Institute for Geriatric Nursing: Older Adults: Recommended Baccalaureate Competencies and Curricular Guidelines for Geriatric Nursing Care. As such, the book could be used as a textbook or as a reference resource.

Readers can locate a particular topic of interest by reading the table of contents. Some of the chapter topics that may be of interest to perioperative nurses include therapeutic communication with older adults, aging physiological systems, assessing the older adult, cultural diversity, and ethical and legal issues. Section 5, which includes chapters 13 to 15, is entitled “Management of Common Illnesses, Diseases and Health Conditions.” Many of these conditions are seen in patients who present to today's operating suites (eg, total joint replacement, myocardial infarction, stroke, peripheral vascular disease, cancer, benign prostatic hyperplasia).

Through skillful writing, clear illustrations, case studies, research highlights, web learning activities, information boxes, critical thinking exercises, and personal reflection exercises, this book gives readers a clearer understanding of the health issues that face today's aging population. A number of chapters contain reproducible forms to use in clinical practice, including the Morse Fall Scale, the Braden Scale for Pressure Ulcer Risk Assessment, a home safety checklist, a continence diary, a health contract, and a health calendar.

This book walks readers through the foundation of gerontological nursing, defining it and the role the practicing nurse plays in this specialty. This text also gives helpful information to readers who are interested in becoming certified in this growing nursing field, and the exercises are geared to helping the student study for an examination, whether that is a college examination, the NCLEX-RN, or a specialty certification examination.

Although this text does not provide technical expertise for a surgical specialty per se, it does address the needs of a growing patient population. Nurses in many fields and specialties are treating a growing number of aging patients. According to the book, by 2012, nearly 10,000 Americans will turn 65 years of age every day and older Americans will make up some 20% of the population by 2030.