Care of the Geriatric Patient in the Emergency Department

Course overview

There are currently approximately 43.1 million people aged 65 and up living in the United States. This population is expected to account for about 20% of the total U.S. population by 2030. The older patient population accounts for up to 25% of all Emergency Department (ED) visits, and this number is increasing every year. Many of these patients have an atypical clinical presentation of illness such as cognitive disorders and the presence of multiple comorbidities. Due to increased frailty and greater severity of illness, they are at higher risk for adverse outcomes. They are more likely to be misdiagnosed and are more frequently discharged with unrecognized and untreated health issues. As such, it is imperative that the ED nurse has a good understanding of this patient population. This course is intended for the nurse working in an ED setting. It can be used for orientation of nurses new to the ED environment or for any nurse who wants to increase his or her knowledge of geriatric conditions and injuries. After completing this activity, practitioners should be able to: identify common geriatric health-related ED presentations; identify physiological, psychosocial and emotional changes that occur with the aging process that affect the nursing care needs of geriatric patients; describe the role of the ED nurse as it relates to assisting the elderly patient and his or her caregiver/family in coping with the impact of illness/injury; apply critical thinking to common ED nursing care and interventions specific to the geriatric patient; and utilize appropriate tools to assess the functional, physical, cognitive, psychological and social status of the older adult.