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A 1997 Hartford Institute national study of geriatrics
in baccalaureate nursing programs (Rosenfeld, et. al., 1999)
revealed that curricular content was not adequately preparing
graduates to care for their primarily older adult patient
populations; and an insufficient number of faculty had the
gerontology expertise necessary to teach and model best practices
in care of the elderly. A subsequent 2003 survey of AACN member
schools conducted by the Hartford Institute (Berman, et. al.,
2005), showed that only 34% (n = 190) reported offering stand-alone
courses.
How has AACN responded?
In 2001, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing responded
to this crisis in geriatric nursing education by securing
a generous grant of $3.99 million from the John A. Hartford
Foundation. AACN awarded these monies to nursing schools who
demonstrated commitment to geriatric curricular enhancement.
Titled Enhancing Geriatric Nursing Education
in Undergraduate and Advanced Practice Nursing Programs,
this grant enabled 20 undergraduate and 10 graduate nursing
programs to "gerontologize" their curricula. The
awardees demonstrated innovation in several areas, including
implementation of: faculty development activities; strategies
to engender student interest in gerontology; content integration
throughout curricula; creation of stand-alone courses; and
development of diverse clinical settings and community partnerships.
Efforts in this fifth and final year are focused
on dissemination of these innovations and lessons learned:
- Showcasing
Curriculum Grant Innovations.
The GNEP curriculum awardees are highlighted individually
- each entry showcases the school's innovations, lessons
learned and valuable resources (e.g., syllabi, student feedback,
assessment tools, and many more).
- Caring
for an Aging America: A Guide for Nursing Faculty.
This 56 page document is the culmination of our grantees
achievements. Written in a "how-to" style, this
guide is a great resource for nursing faculty who want to
increase gerontology content in their school's curricula.
- Journal
of Professional Nursing (March/April
2006). The March/April issue of the Journal of Professional
Nursing focuses exclusively on gerontology, with articles
written by site directors of AACN’s Enhancing Curriculum
project.
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