Nursing Competencies to Improve Care for Older Adults

Nursing Competencies to Improve Care for Older Adults

Nursing Competencies to Improve Care for Older Adults

Baccalaureate Competencies Recommended Baccalaureate Competencies and Curricular Guidelines for the Nursing Care of Older Adults (2010) AACN and the Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing at New York University College of Nursing worked collaboratively with an expert panel to develop these competencies and curricular guidelines to serve as a supplement to the 2008 AACN Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice. The purpose of this document is to assist nurse educators in incorporating geriatric-focused nursing content and learning opportunities into the baccalaureate nursing curriculum, including both the didactic and clinical experiencesto ensure that nursing students are able to provide the necessary geriatric care for the nation’s aging population. This project was generously funded by the John A. Hartford Foundation.

Advanced Practice Competencies Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Competencies This 2010 publication delineates the entry-level competencies for graduates of master’s, doctorate of nursing practice (DNP), and post-graduate programs preparing primary care NPs who serve the adult-gerontology population. The competencies are intended to be used in conjunction with — and build upon — the graduate and APRN core competencies outlined in the AACN (2006) Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing Practice or the AACN (1996) Essentials of Master’s Education for Advanced Practice Nursing. In addition, these competencies build upon the NONPF (2006) core competencies for all nurse practitioners. These consensus-based competencies focus on the unique practice knowledge, skills, and attitudes of the adult-gerontology primary care NP.

The national Consensus Model for APRN Regulation: Licensure, Accreditation, Certification, and Education (LACE), finalized in 2008, defines advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) and standardized requirements for each of the four APRN regulatory components included in LACE. Under this model, now endorsed by 45 national nursing organizations, the certified nurse practitioner (CNP) is defined as one of four APRN roles. In addition to the four roles, APRNs are educated and practice in at least one of six population foci: family/individual across the lifespan, adult-gerontology, pediatrics, neonatal, women’s health/gender-related or psych/mental health. In addition, the CNP is prepared with the acute care CNP competencies and/or the primary care CNP competencies. The Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Competencies will be delineated in a separate document currently in development.

Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist Competencies This 2010 publication delineates entry-level competencies for all graduates of master’s, doctorate of nursing practice (DNP), and post-graduate programs preparing adult-gerontology clinical nurse specialists (CNSs) for certification and licensure. The competencies are intended to be used in conjunction with and build upon the graduate and APRN core competencies outlined in the AACN (2006) Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing Practice or the AACN (1996) Essentials of Master’s Education for Advanced Practice Nursing. In addition, these competencies build upon the National CNS Core Competencies (2008) for all clinical nurse specialists. These competencies focus on the unique practice knowledge, skills, and attitudes of the adult-gerontology CNS.

The Consensus Model for APRN Regulation: Licensure, Accreditation, Certification, and Education(LACE), finalized in 2008, defines advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) and standardized requirements for each of the four APRN regulatory components included in LACE. Under this, now endorsed by 45 national nursing organizations, the clinical nurse specialist (CNS) is defined as one of four APRN roles. In addition to the four roles, APRNs are educated and practice in at least one of six population foci: family/individual across the lifespan, adult-gerontology, pediatrics, neonatal, women’s health/gender-related, or psych/mental health.