INCREASING ACCESS TO GERONTOLOGY NURSING EDUCATION WITH AN HONORS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
Background:Although older adults represent the fastest growing age cohort in the U.S., many undergraduate programs continue to offer limited education regarding best practices in their care. Older adults access the healthcare system more than any other age group, often have multiple chronic illnesses, and usually receive care from non-specialized providers. Between co-morbidities and age-related physiologic changes, they require more time to recover from acute illness exacerbations than other populations. With the rapidly expanding aged population, greatly needed are competent nurses who have the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to provide high quality, safe care to older adults with complex care needs. Yet, attracting a sizeable number of students to offer focused coursework in gerontology nursing can be difficult.
Description: The school spans five campuses throughout a rural northwest state. The GNHP uses multiple technologies to enable qualified students across all campuses to come together as a learning community. Eligible students are accepted into the competitive program during their junior year when they independently complete case-based, online modules on pathophysiology, pharmacology, acute care and chronic illness in older adults. Throughout the second year, students participate in a one-credit seminar to discuss research related to best care practices, gaps in existing gerontology knowledge, and ways to improve the quality and safety of care for older adults. Students also meet with gerontology nurse scientists and doctoral students during the seminar. Their clinical placements are in settings where older adults receive care. The students receive modest scholarship support during the second year. Faculty advisors and gerontology faculty support students throughout this process. On completion of the program, students submit individual theses and give oral presentations on their topics of interest.
Outcomes: The first cohort graduated from the GNHP in June, 2014. These students provided positive feedback on the experience and described a sense of camaraderie despite living hundreds of miles from each other. They obtained employment in a range of settings where older adults receive care. Several indicated an interest in advanced gerontology nursing education and all expressed new-found awareness of the need for gerontology nursing research across a range of issues. Interest in the program is growing as demonstrated by the increasing number of applicants to the program each year.
Implications: Distance technologies linked students and faculty across five campuses for a focused gerontology honors program. The students highly valued the skills and knowledge they developed both regarding best practices in gerontology nursing and in learning to critically review and critique the literature on gerontology nursing practice. Further, students and faculty perceived a robust learning community where they were supported in their practice interests.