Background

In response to the critical shortage of mental health professionals and services for older adults, the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing in collaboration with the Hartford Centers of Geriatric Nursing Excellence at Penn and the University of Iowa co-hosted a national conference in September 2005: Geropsychiatric Nursing: State of the Future. The conference summarized the state of knowledge about geropsychiatric nursing (GPN), outlined core curriculum components to embed in undergraduate and graduate programs, delineated key research issue to be addressed and identified major practice roles and models for GPN care. The Geropsychiatric Nursing Collaborative, funded by the John A Hartford Foundation and housed at the American Academy of Nursing, is one outcome of this conference.

Resources

• GPNC Geropsychiatric Nursing Competency Enhancements. The enhancement documents are aimed at the entry level nurse and the following groups of advanced practice nurses: gerontological NP and CNS, psychiatric NP and CNS, and other APRNs (NP and CNS) who care for older adults but are not prepared as gerontological experts, e.g., women’s health, adult, family and acute care. To access these and other related resources, please click HERE.
• GPNC Policy Statement. This one-page statement (PDF) addresses mental health care needs for older Americans in the current health care policy debate.
  
• The Gerontologic Mental Health Nursing Alliance listserv serves as a venue for networking and sharing a range of resources and opportunities. Persons with an interest in the broad field are welcome to join. Contact the listserv manager, Christine Ray, at rayc@nursing.upenn.edu. Items for posting are submitted to the same email address.
• Promoting Mental Health of Older Americans – The Work of Geropsychiatric Nurses. This brochure (PDF) summarizes the current status of geropsychiatric practice, education, and research and identifies strategies for future development. For multiple printed copies, please contact Christine Ray, at rayc@nursing.upenn.edu.
• The American Academy of Nursing has Expert Panels on Aging and Mental Health, as well as a study group on Mental Health and Aging.
• Details of the 2005 Geropsychiatric Nursing: State of the Future conference - organization, papers, commentaries, and strategies developed - can be found in two 2006 issues of Journal of the American Psychiatric Nursing Association, 12 (2-3).
• Coming Soon: GPN curricular updates.