Geropsychiatric nursing practice in the United States: Present trends and future directions

Demographic trends, diversification of geriatric health care service settings, and advances in education and science call for redefining the context and mission of geropsychiatric nursing (GPN) practice. The challenges of providing preventive, restorative, and palliative care for older adults who move across health care and residential settings demand that geropsychiatric nurses be theoretically well grounded, family centered, expert in multiple assessment skills, and clinically adept across the full biopsychosocial spectrum. This article provides "snapshots" of the educational and career paths that led four nurses into GPN practice. Noting that the extant literature is more descriptive of practice models than suggestive of efficacy, the article offers a series of recommendations that emphasize the need for evaluations of GPN practice.