2002 Second Place Award

University of Iowa, College of Nursing

Iowa City, Iowa

Melanie Dreher, PhD, RN, FAAN, Dean

Mary Patricia Donahue, PhD, RN, FAAN and Toni Tripp-Reimer; Associate Deans; Keela Herr, PhD, RN, Chair, Adult and Gerontologic Nursing; Meridean Maas, PhD, RN, FAAN, Professor and Director, The John A. Hartford Center of Geriatric Nursing Excellence (Contact Faculty)

Phone: 319-335-7067 Fax: 310-335-7106

Abstract. All curricula in the College of Nursing are based on holistic healthcare, developmental aging, and the needs of individuals and aggregates within the context of an increasing proportion of older persons in the population. Although age-related content and applications are integrated throughout the undergraduate curriculum, two courses (Gerontologic Nursing and Gerontological Nursing Practicum) are dedicated entirely to the nursing care of older persons. The courses are based on the John A. Hartford Geriatric Nursing Institute recommended content and expose students to the exciting challenges and opportunities throughout the breadth, depth, and complexity of gerontologic nursing. The 4 credit required Gerontologic Nursing didactic course emphasizes normal aging, wellness and prevention of illness/disability, management of acute and chronic illness, and end of life care. Learning is enriched by evidence-based content, lectures by expert gerontologic faculty and clinicians, and a variety of multi-media. The Gerontologic Nursing Practicum is 3 credit hours and includes experiences with a range of well and frail elders in traditional and alternative, innovative settings. By choosing electives in other aging courses, a number of students also receive an interdisciplinary Aging Studies Certificate at graduation. The curriculum responds to the immediate need for nurses with geriatric training and to the need for more nurses with advanced training for academic, research, and practice careers.

Innovation. The College is blessed with a cadre of gerontologic expert faculty and clinical adjunct faculty. Faculty and clinicians collaborated to develop the Gerontologic Nursing and Gerontologic Practicum courses with innovative teaching modalities and experiences in alternative, innovative care settings. In the didactic course, students are fortunate to have internationally known Iowa nursing and interdisciplinary gerontologic experts provide content and share their passion in caring for older persons. Among other innovations, students write a reaction paper to a “48 hour documentary” on aging, identify and critique “good” and “poor’ websites for elders, and attend interdisciplinary seminars, conferences, and journal clubs.

Students have practicum experiences in a nurse owned, innovative alternative care facility for persons with dementia; a faculty practice business that provides nurse case management, care, and support of elders who live alone at home and their families; a geropsychiatric in-patient unit; best practices nursing homes and assisted living facilities; a model residence for elderly women, Title IXX elderly case management services; senior center, day care, home care agencies; and visit well elders in their homes. Modeling a strong nurse role in the leadership and management of nursing care of elders is emphasized in all settings selected for student practica.

Five promising students each are selected for a Young Gerontologic Scientist program and a Young Gerontologic Clinician program. These outstanding students have potential for leadership and an interest in and aptitude for a gerontologic nursing research or practice career. Young Scientists each work with an active faculty gerontologic researcher/mentor. Young Clinicians are matched with a faculty mentor and an expert clinician mentor. Among the more advanced expectations are preparation of a manuscript for publication and project presentations to faculty, clinicians, and students. Most of the Young Scientists and Clinicians expect to enroll in graduate study and one is currently a BSN to PhD student at Iowa.

Replication. The curriculum is replicable in any school with a cadre of faculty with gerontologic expertise and active programs of research. Practice innovations would vary, but could be sought and identified by faculty for student experiences. Principles for replication are faculty commitment to: 1) gerontologic curriculum and evidence-based practice, 2) the role of nurses for elders’ health and quality of life, 3) emphasis on promotion of elders’ health, function, and quality of life even if disease and disability are present, 4) innovative, alternatives for long term health care of elders, and 5) an appreciation of social, economic, and political context of health care of elders and the opportunities for nursing practice and influence within this context.