Successful Implementation of the 2010 Adult-Gerontology Competencies into a FNP Program

Nurse Practitioner (NP) faculty is obligated to keep programs current with nationally recommended educational competencies. This task has become increasingly challenging because longstanding core competencies have been augmented by an ever-changing array of sub-specialty, population based and practice doctorate competencies. During 2010, adult-gerontology competency guidelines were released for adult-gerontological, family and women’s health NPs. The Recommended Competencies for Older Adult Care for the Family and Women’s Health CNP mandates a minimum skill set for graduating NP students who will work with adult populations. Within these competencies, FNP graduates must be able to assess, diagnose and coordinate the care for the increasing numbers of frail elderly within our communities. Whether preparing MSN, post-MSN or DNP level NPs, faculty find themselves needing to meet the time consuming challenges of knowing and teaching to new educational competencies, developing the faculty interest and expertise needed to accomplish this task, and assuring that their clinical sites and evaluation methods fully prepare the NP student as required. This poster will explain one educator’s journey to assist faculty in updating curricular content of FNP students to meet their new gerontological competencies. Additional topics will include assessment of faculty interest and expertise in gerontology, building faculty and administrative support for change, the process to infuse new content into existing courses, which content was chosen for infusion, and student clinical experiences and OSCE examinations with older adult clients.