Geriatric nursing is a nursing specialty that focuses on the care of adults ages 65 and older. A geriatric nurse is responsible for assessing patients, administering treatments, delivering patient education and ensuring patient safety. To become a geriatric RN, you’ll need a nursing degree and license.
stroke and chronic diseases like diabetes. They are also prone to mental health disorders like depression. Because of elderly individuals’ unique health concerns, they benefit from geriatric nursing professionals who specialize in elder care.
If you aspire to a career serving the elderly, you might consider becoming a geriatric nurse. Northeastern University’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program allows you to leverage your prior non-nursing education to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) in as few as 16 months.
There are a number of topics you’ll want to examine before applying. First, consider the job growth in the geriatric nursing specialty. Then, examine the typical career pathway.
Why Is the Demand for Geriatric Nurses Increasing?
The U.S. population is aging. In 2022, there were about 58 million individuals ages 65 and older. By 2050, it’s projected that there will be about 82 million U.S. residents in that age bracket. Given those projections, it’s no surprise that the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) expects the demand for geriatric registered nurses (RNs) to grow.
Geriatric RNs are needed in a variety of healthcare settings, including hospitals, clinics and nursing homes. After the COVID pandemic, roughly 50% of nursing homes across the U.S. reported staffing shortages. The geriatric RN shortage has been particularly severe in rural areas.
The current pace of graduating nurses is insufficient to compensate for the number of RNs who are retiring or otherwise leaving the workforce. Although enrollment in baccalaureate nursing programs increased by 0.3% in 2023, that same year, nursing schools were forced to turn away nearly 66,000 qualified applicants due to factors like nursing faculty shortages and insufficient space in classrooms and clinical sites.
These trends may be worrisome to aging Americans, but they present opportunities for prospective nursing students. If you decide to become a geriatric nurse, your skills will be in high demand in every state of the country.
Discover the top 10 reasons to become a nurse.
What Does a Geriatric Nurse Do?
Before diving into the career pathway, you should become familiar with what geriatric RNs do. These nurses are responsible for caring for elderly patients’ physical, mental and emotional well-being. Their goals may range from helping patients live independently and safely to maintaining quality of life to helping family members learn how to care for their aging loved ones.
On any given day, a geriatric RN may do the following:
- Assess patients and request diagnostic tests
- Develop or contribute to care plans
- Administer medications and treatments
- Watch out for signs of potential elder abuse
- Deliver patient and family caregiver education
- Assist patients with the activities of daily living (ADLs), including grooming, bathing and toileting
Geriatric Nurse Salary and Job Outlook
The demand for geriatric nurses is increasing due to the aging population in the U.S. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) doesn’t track employment data for geriatric RNs specifically, but it does offer employment projections for all types of RNs. According to the BLS, the job growth rate for all RNs is expected to be 6% from 2023 through 2033, faster than average, indicating the creation of about 197,200 new jobs.
The BLS states that the median annual salary for all types of RNs was $86,070 as of May 2023.
How to Become a Geriatric Nurse
If caring for some of society’s most vulnerable individuals appeals to you, earning a nursing degree will start your journey to becoming a geriatric RN.
Explore the process for making the transition from CNA to RN.
Earn a BSN
If you have no prior college education, you’ll need to apply to a traditional BSN program, which takes four years of full-time study. If you have a non-nursing bachelor’s degree or at least 62 college credits from an accredited institution, you may be eligible to apply to Northeastern’s Accelerated BSN program.
Our ABSN curriculum teaches everything you need to know to start in the nursing field. The lectures, reading materials and interactive learning components are offered online and cover key nursing concepts, ranging from pathophysiology to pharmacology and beyond.
You’ll attend in-person nursing skills labs, where you’ll learn to perform nursing tasks like nasogastric tube placement and patient assessments. In nursing simulation labs, you’ll work on high-tech medical manikins to practice interacting with patients and developing appropriate nursing responses to patient care scenarios.
Lastly, clinical rotations place you at top nearby healthcare facilities to work shifts alongside seasoned nurses. Under the supervision of nursing instructors and preceptors, you’ll practice providing direct patient care.
Obtain Your Nursing License
After earning a nursing degree, you are eligible to sit for the RN licensing exam, the NCLEX-RN. All aspiring nurses must pass this rigorous exam to obtain a nursing license. We recommend starting NCLEX prep while still in nursing school. In fact, some students start studying for the NCLEX during their first semester. Answering lots of practice questions and taking full-length practice exams can help you prepare.
Gain Clinical Experience and Focus on Skills Development
You don’t need prior work experience as an RN to pursue a geriatric nursing position. You can apply to relevant positions right away. You will, however, need at least a few years of work experience before pursuing career advancement.
During this time, focus on developing your skills as a geriatric RN. Pay attention to how other RNs get the work done and interact with patients and families. Look for ways to improve your own bedside manner and clinical skills.
Some of the most important skills and qualities for a geriatric RN include:
- Patience and empathy
- Compassion
- Patient education
- Active listening, including the ability to identify nonverbal communication cues
- Knowledge about the aging process and how it affects individuals
- Critical thinking
- Time management
- Medication management
A commitment to patient safety is also a must-have. Geriatric patients have weaker immune systems and are more physically frail, with declining balance, coordination and strength.
Pursue Advancement Through Professional Certification
After working as a geriatric nurse for a few years, you may decide to pursue professional advancement and become an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) specializing in elder care.
As an adult-gerontology nurse practitioner (AGNP), you would be qualified to provide a high level of care and practice with greater autonomy.
You can pursue this role by heading back to school. Currently, it’s possible to become an NP with just a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN). However, there has been a push toward requiring the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) to be the minimum requirement for NPs. It may be wise to apply to a DNP program in case this degree becomes the standard requirement.
After earning your graduate degree and completing the clinical supervised training hours, you’ll be eligible to sit for a board certification exam. If you pass, you can apply for a state-issued APRN license and begin working as an AGNP.
Why Geriatric Nursing Is a Rewarding Career
Many people find geriatric nursing to be a meaningful career choice because it allows nurses to serve and empower some of the most vulnerable members of our society. These patients need not only specialized care but also emotional support and companionship.
You might find it worthwhile to help your patients work toward a better quality of life and greater independence. Plus, geriatric RNs often treat the same patients for an extended period of time, so you’ll have the opportunity to develop deep connections with them and their families.
Earn Your BSN at Northeastern
With three start dates each year and ABSN program sites in Charlotte, North Carolina; near Providence, Rhode Island; and near Boston, Massachusetts, Northeastern University is working to address the critical shortages of nurses in the U.S. Our ABSN students benefit from small class sizes, a dedicated and knowledgeable faculty and clinical placements at top healthcare facilities.
Ready to pursue a career as a geriatric RN? Contact our admissions counselors today to learn about the next steps.