McKnight's Long-Term Care News (10/06/24) Johnson, Zee

Researchers from the Regenstrief Institute and the Indiana University School of Medicine have developed a new curriculum that provides Bachelor of Nursing degree students with geriatric care training. The benefits, say the researchers, include advanced geriatric-focused instruction and potentially increased interest in the field. "The nursing home population has many special needs requiring nurses with compassion and extra knowledge and skills to provide quality care to older adults," said Regenstrief Institute researcher Debra K. Litzelman, PhD. "Nursing students need experienced [and] knowledgeable faculty/mentors along with actual learning experiences to gain confidence and opportunity to explore potential interest and satisfaction in caring for older adults with complex care needs." In the program, students take 10 hours of multi-modal, online education in which they learn about long-term care-related topics including advanced care planning, dementia, and myths surrounding aging. This style of instruction helps students learn about the nuances of long-term care comfortably, notes Litzelman, and the lessons learned can be used in other nursing fields, such as primary care, urgent care, in-home care, and hospitals. The program uses virtual, simulated patients who provide real-time feedback. "The virtual, simulated patients curriculum provides students [the] opportunity to practice addressing concerns common in older adults, including mobility limitations, mentation such as confusion, and safe medication use," explained Glenda Westmoreland, MD, MPH, associate professor of clinical medicine and director of geriatric education at the Indiana University School of Medicine. "Students explore how to ask, 'What matters most?' providing them with the skill to confidently ask this essential question when implementing care for patients."

Read More