Vanderbilt University School of Nursing has been awarded membership in the National Hartford Centers of Gerontological Nursing Excellence (NHCGNE) in recognition of the highest level of commitment to the field of gerontological nursing.
“This is a tremendous honor for our school and a reflection of our dedicated research, education and practice faculty,” said Linda Norman, DSN, MSN, Valere Potter Menefee Professor of Nursing and dean of VUSN. “We are delighted to be aligned with a premier organization committed to improving the health and quality of life for an important and growing portion of our society.”
The school has been preparing for the growing numbers of older adults, their health care needs and their impact on the nation’s health care system. In recent years, the number of VUSN faculty active in geriatric nursing has doubled, resulting in the creation of the Geriatric Specialty Interest Group, which ensures geriatric content is embedded throughout VUSN specialty programs.
The geriatric research faculty has produced and disseminated research that has impacted health policy, and the school is well known for its use of simulated learning experiences to educate students with hands-on learning in geriatric care. VUSN geriatric faculty also practice in several clinics and long-term care facilities throughout Middle Tennessee.
The Department of Health and Human Services reported that 39.6 million Americans, 12.9 percent of the population, were 65 and older in 2009, the latest year of data available.
The agency estimates that by 2030, there will be 72.1 million older persons, or 19 percent of the population.
With that in mind, the NHCGNE’s mission is to enhance and sustain nurse competency through faculty development, advancing gerontological nursing science, facilitating adoption of best practices, fostering leadership and designing and shaping policy.
