Development in Nursing Profession Competency: Analyze the increased complexity of care among older adults

Various complexities exist when caring for the elderly. The elderly tend to have multiple comorbidities and are vulnerable to illnesses and accidents. According to Demurtas et al. (2020), while people age, their immunity is impaired and, thence, become vulnerable to diseases. The commonest diseases observed among the elderly include renal diseases, rheumatoid and cardiac diseases. This competency was achieved through searching and going through the common illnesses in the elderly and their management. The most outstanding thing was the idea of polypharmacy, which is commonly observed in the elderly as a result of taking many drugs to manage their commodities. It is, therefore, important to regularly review the medications prescribed to older patients and assess them for possible complications.

Competency: Compare care models for nursing practice specific to the older adult

I identified several models, including the interdisciplinary care model, the care and case management model, the preventive home visit model, the proactive rehabilitation model, and the comprehensive assessment, evaluation, and management of the geriatrics model. These models have all been proven to improve the quality of nursing care and the quality of life of elderly patients. Furthermore, these models, when applied, are capable of increasing the survival rate of the elderly, improving their functionality, and lowering the cost of healthcare services (Morkisch et al., 2020). For instance, the interdisciplinary care model will ensure that elderly patients are taken care of holistically and all health issues addressed, such as nutrition, occupational care, and psychological needs. I achieved this competency by searching through evidence-based models that have proven to work better when caring for older adults. I learned that older adults should be approached differently from the rest of the population and that a multidisciplinary approach is key, as several factors should be addressed while attending to older adults.

Competency: Design plans for care specific to the older adult

A care plan refers to a general management plan designed for a patient. Since older adults tend to suffer from more than one disease, it is important to take into consideration all aspects of elderly patient care while creating care plans, including a management plan for the current illness and continuous management of the pre-existing comorbidity. This competency was specifically achieved during my practicum experience. I was lucky to be part of the nursing team that was directly involved in creating nursing care plans in the geriatric nursing home. I learned that a holistic care approach is important while making care plans for older adults and should include managing the already existing comorbidities. For instance, while managing a patient with hypertension, it’s important to consider the possible complications that may arise when using the medications in combination.