The adult health nursing gerontological specialty track prepares clinicians in advanced nurse practice roles caring for the elderly. Opportunities for advanced specialization in gerontology can be tailored to fit students’ needs and interests.
Graduates will be able to:
- Manage the health care of adults with emphasis on the elderly, providing
health promotion and care based on current nursing science and science from
other disciplines;
- Evaluate and ensure the continuous quality of health care delivery by considering
ethics, research, health policy, access, and cost;
- Participate in interdisciplinary, culturally-sensitive teaching, counseling
and healing with elderly patients, families and communities, locally and globally;
- Clearly define the contributions of the advanced practice nurse to quality
care outcomes of elderly adults;
- Have the educational preparation required for national certification;
- Apply for advanced practice certification as a gerontological nurse practitioner
(in states requiring certification) or clinical nurse specialist in gerontological nursing;
- Apply for prescription writing privileges and be eligible for third party
reimbursement (in states in which NPs have these privileges);
- Apply to doctoral programs in nursing;
- Assume an advanced practice nursing role as a gerontological nurse practitioner or clinical nurse specialist in a variety of health care settings including clinics, health maintenance organizations, occupational health, home care, school and private practice settings.
The gerontological specialty is offered to students from a variety of academic and professional backgrounds through a number of routes to entry and program options. Find your pathway to entry.