Geriatric Nursing Resources
PCNA recognizes the unique needs of the geriatric patient and is committed to working with other nursing organizations and the Hartford institute to raise awareness about the importance of providing specialized care to the geriatric patient.
It is our goal to create new, sustainable geriatric educational products and resources and assure the geriatric competence of our members.
We are proud to announce the launch a new section of the Medical Forms Online, which provides information on behavior change and adherence with a special focus on older adults. The PCNA Forms tool contains PDF templates of clinical forms and patient handouts that nurses and nurse practitioners can use in their CVD risk reduction practice (both outpatient and inpatient). These forms were developed by PCNA for nurses/NP’s to assist in improving the quality of patient healthcare interactions and ultimately patient outcomes. The forms can be integrated into a patent’s medical record and include patient assessment forms, contracts, flow charts, follow-up plans & tools, patient-education materials, and a list of online resources. The forms are located on the PCNA website at under Clinical Tools and are free to all healthcare providers.
Annual Symposium and Regional Chapter Programs:
Our Annual Symposium and regional chapter programs continue to feature a lifespan approach including geriatric content and focusing on all aspects of cardiovascular disease prevention and management including prevention in the elderly population.
Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing:
In 2007 PCNA wrote and published a geriatrics supplement to the Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing entitled “Management of Cardiac and Vascular Disease in Older Adults.”
Get Tough on Angina Patient Handbook and Resource Tool Kit
This patient handbook, published by PCNA, includes a description of angina, common causes, diagnosis, and treatment of the disease. The companion resource tool kit for healthcare professionals provides a wide array of information on how to care for patients with angina and set up patient support groups or seminars. Ordering Information: Coming soon!
Hartford Institute’s “Try This” Series
The "Try This" Series provides evidence-based best practices in nursing care for older adults. Free resources include web-based demonstration videos, downloadable pdf articles, and a corresponding print series featured in the AJN, developed to build geriatric assessment skills - the foundation for appropriate care of older adults.
PCNA recently completed two new "Try This" documents entitled: (1) "Cardiac Risk Assessment of the Older Cardiovascular Patient: The Framingham Global Risk Assessment Tools" and (2) "Vascular Risk Assessment of the Older Cardiovascular Patient: The Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI)." Both the cardiac risk and vascular risk assessment tools include information on performing a comprehensive history and physical examination of the older adult in each area and explains the tool to determine the level of cardiac or vascular risk. References for further study are also included in the tool.
ConsultGeriRN.org
This is the geriatric clinical nursing website of The Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing of New York University College of Nursing. ConsultGeriRN.org is an evidence-based online resource for nurses in clinical and educational settlings. Here you will find a wealth of resources for geriatric nursing practice, education, and policy-making. Subscribe to the ConsultGeriRN
e-newsletter and stay up to date on the latest news affecting geriatric nursing.
Geriatric Protocols
ConsultGeriRN.org provides over 25 evidence-based geriatric protocols for managing common geriatric syndromes and conditions. Regularly updated content includes:
- Normal Aging Changes
- Atypical Presentation
- Dementia & Depression
- Medication
- Nutrition in the Elderly
ElderWeb
This award-winning research site for both professionals and family members looking for information on eldercare and long term care. It includes links to information on legal, financial, medical, and housing issues, as well as policy, research, and statistics.
NIH SeniorHealth
This website for older adults was developed by the National Institute on Aging and the National Library of Medicine, both part of the National Institutes of Health. This interactive website contains information for patients about various health issues such as cancer, arthritis, and diabetes. This site is equipped for low vision patients and has a "sound on/off" feature which allows the user to hear an audio track of the content of the site.
Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders (NICHE)
NICHE is the largest national organization designed to help healthcare professionals in hospitals improve the care of older adults. NICHE hospitals seek to create an environment where older adult patients receive care that results in better outcomes. This climate of success encourages patients and their families to seek NICHE designated hospitals for their medical needs. The NICHE Network now numbers nearly 300 hospitals throughout North America. NICHE is a program of The Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing at NYU College of Nursing. To learn more about NICHE and its goal of improving hospital geriatric care, visit www.nicheprogram.org.
Assisted living has emerged as a popular senior living option for those elderly people seeking a place to reside that offers medical monitoring and minor medical care while still offering personal privacy and freedom. Assisted living is licensed and regulated at the state level, which makes for a wide range of differences among assisted living communities.
AssistedLivingFacilities.org strives to serve as the informational resource for assisted living in the United States. Information is listed on over 36,000 state-licensed assisted living facilities and tries to explain the rules and regulations of each state.
