Important Skills for Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioners

Important Skills for Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioners

Adult-gerontology nurse practitioners, across healthcare settings, have significantly improved the primary care of older adults. These nurses require particular leadership skills to ensure effective care services (reference). Adult-gerontology nurse practitioners (AGNPs) should have leadership skills to make them strong advocates for their patients. They must be good role models for providing quality care for the elderly. Gerontological nurses should have an analytical mindset to fully assess the needs of every patient. As patients become older, their health conditions become even more complex, hence AGNPs must have the analytical mindset to understand complex situations and possible interventions. Analytical skills will enable them to critically examine the medical history and evaluate environmental factors for each patient before creating a case plan. Effective communication is another important skill that an adult-gerontology nurse practitioner should have. These healthcare professionals interact with different people; hence, effective communication is very essential for them (reference). They must identify the correct method to communicate with every patient, especially, the elderly.

Places of Work for Adult-gerontology nurse practitioners

Gerontological nurses work in different care settings across the healthcare industry. Adult-gerontology nurse practitioners work in hospitals, long-term care facilities, assisted living facilities, and nursing homes (reference). In hospitals, gerontological nurses work in acute care settings, treating older adults in immediate or intensive care. In long-term care facilities, gerontologists can fill supervisory roles, assisting in regular patient checkups and delivering medications per state laws. In nursing homes, adult gerontology nurse practitioners can act as primary care providers for patients. They work closely with patients and family members or caregivers to discuss care plans as well as prescribe and administer medication (reference). Therefore, gerontological nurses are important healthcare professionals.

Becoming an Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner

For one to become an adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner, one must accomplish specific qualifications. For instance, they will need to earn either an associate degree in nursing (ADN) or a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) degree. First, the individual must attend a nursing school (reference). They will need to earn an AND or a BSN from an accredited nursing program to allow them to take the first step in becoming a registered nurse. The second step is to pass the NCLEX examination. Step three is to experience or continue with their education to earn a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree.

They must enter into an MSN/NP program that offers a program to become an Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner. The fifth and last step is to become a certified nurse practitioner by passing a national examination (reference). There are several certifications available for graduates from the accredited adult gerontology nurse practitioner program. They include GPCNP-BC Certification, AGACNP-BC Certification, and A-GNP Certification.

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Conclusion

Old age is associated with serious health complications that need special attention. Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioners are in the right position to care for these patients. An adult Gerontology Nurse Practitioner is an advanced practice nurse with a clinical focus on treating people from adolescence to through adult into advanced age. These types of nurse practitioners have various roles and responsibilities in healthcare based on their area of specialization. AGNPs require skills such as leadership skills, communication skills, analytical skills, and others. This paper has provided detailed information regarding Adult-gerontology nurse practitioners.

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