Integrating gerontological content

From Geriatric Nursing Education

The RNAO Educator's Resource: Integration of Best Practice Guidelines is available for free download. Paper copies of the binder can be purchased.

The July 2010 issue of the Journal of Gerontological Nursing is a special issue Geriatric Nursing Education Consortium: Improving Care for Older Adults Starts in the Classroom. It includes articles about successful teaching strategies, resources, and educational tools.

Caring for an Aging America: A Guide for Nursing Faculty, published by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing/John A. Hartford Foundation in 2006, through the Enhancing Geriatric Education in Undergraduate and Advanced Practice Nursing Programs initiative. The monograph includes sections to help nursing programs: (1) develop faculty expertise; (2) "Gerontologize" curriculum; (3)enhance curriculum with technology; (4) cultivate community and clinical partnerships; and (5) create and support student interest.

The American Academy of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) provides webinars to support use of nursing homes as clinical placements. Webinars are also archived.

Resources for clinical faculty for integrating care of older adult patients in student clinical rotations in hospitals are available through the Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing. It includes tips for integrating content into clinical assignments, pre-conference, bedside teaching, post-conference, charting, and evaluation.

The CSWE Gero-Ed Center websitehas lots of resources for curricular change and innovation. Developed by and for social work educators, they are relevant to other professions. Resources include:

• program infusion resources (curricular and organizational change process, definitions of curriculum change, guidelines for infusing gerontology into syllabi, and characteristics of a sustainable gerontologized program)
• Lessons learned about curricular and organizational change and infusion of gerontology contents (faculty engagement, student recruitment, and community partnerships)
• Assessment tools to measure student, faculty, and practitioner knowledge, attitudes, perceptions, and interest in gerontology
• Innovationsand in curriculum infusion

The CSWE Gero-Ed Center also has 5 streaming videos about how to teach about gerontological issues (conveying course objectives, encouraging student autonomy, facilitating the learning environment, providing feedback,and supporting diversity).