Future directions for gerontology: a nursing perspective

This paper discusses the contribution nursing has made to the development o f person-centred services, and the influence of gerontology upon such devel opments. It examines traditional attitudes to medicine and nursing, when cu ring was all-important and caring treated as secondary and the shift away f rom this attitude to a more holistic approach to nursing, where the dignity of the patient is an important issue. it argues that good practice utilize s different sources of knowledge, including intuitive knowledge, and discus ses the integrated programme of policy, development, research and education activities that the Royal College of Nursing is developing. The options currently available to anyone wishing to study gerontology are discussed, and the pros and cons of the current emphasis on broad-based cli nical and educational experience prior to specialization analysed. The key aim of the RCN is to develop the specialism of gerontological nursing and t he quality of care experienced by older people. With this end in view, this paper describes the education programme being developed by the RCN, leadin g to the award of Gerontological Nurse Specialist - a person able to demons trate knowledge of rehabilitation, clinical assessment, health care assessm ent and a holistic knowledge of the ageing process. (C) 2000 Harcourt Publi shers Ltd.