While some nurses feel pulled into treating children, others love to care for those in their later years by working in the geriatric field.
If you’ve ever wondered what these nurses do, why they like it, or if it’s the facet of the field that fits you, we’ve got you covered.
We interviewed Nancy Mitchell, RN. She has more than 37 years of experience in geriatric nursing care, both as a senior care nurse and director of nursing care, and she took the time to answer our questions.
What follows is our interview, edited for length and clarity.
Nancy Mitchell, RN, has more than 37 years of experience in geriatric nursing care, both as a senior care nurse and director of nursing care.
How did you get interested in being a geriatric nurse? What drew you to it? How long have you been doing it?
I’ve worked in senior care for more than three decades. Geriatric care is unique in that it is less hectic than working in the emergency department or on surgical wards but can be equally demanding.
What drew me most to this discipline is the patient care aspect. It’s not strictly medical. Eldercare allows me to give back to communities in more than one way. The senior population plays a significant role in enriching any social group. Ensuring their health is my way of contributing to the holistic wellness of our communities.
What does a geriatric nurse do? What types of patients do you serve? What do you provide for them?
One of the primary roles of a geriatric nurse is to help elderly patients–those 65 and older–continue to live independently. We manage and treat underlying conditions to avoid having them progress into debilitating stages. We also educate patients and their families on ways to help support their health at an older age.
However, as a geriatric nurse, managing debilitating diseases also comes with the job. We deal with cases of Alzheimer’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis, and other neurodegenerative conditions regularly. Some of us are based in hospice care, specializing in making the transition process as pleasant as possible for terminally ill patients.
Generally, we specialize in helping older patients cope with the stark physical and emotional changes to their bodies as they navigate aging.
It is our responsibility to care for and protect the older population.
Did you need to get additional education for this position?
There’s no obligation to pursue additional education beyond your BSN to become a geriatric nurse. It depends on your plans for career advancement. Some nurses become geriatric nurse practitioners, specializing in diagnosing ailments and prescribing treatment for elderly patients.
What do you like most about working as a geriatric nurse?
Unlike ER work, geriatric nursing is a socially enriching profession, where you treat patients tonight and send them off within hours. Most elderly care facilities serve as extended living centers for patients temporarily or permanently. This allows you to forge meaningful, professional relationships with patients.
Seniors have lived some of the most exciting lives, and they love sharing fascinating stories and life lessons that anyone can benefit from hearing.
What are your biggest challenges as a geriatric nurse?
Geriatric wards see some of the highest mortalities. Most patients struggle with three or more underlying conditions. The profession requires a high level of emotional intelligence and fortitude.
What are your greatest rewards as one?
My greatest reward is touching patients’ lives, even in the later stages of their lives. Some of these patients live alone and are lonely, so they depend on the social interactions of nurses as encouragement throughout their treatment. I’m honored to provide a helping shoulder to them.
Is there else that is important for our readers to know?
People tend to assume that the body follows a steady trend in how it works throughout your lifetime. But, in reality, the geriatric body significantly differs from someone in their mid-30s or teens. So geriatric care is a discipline on its own.
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