As an advanced practice nurse in South Florida, my area of practice will be geriatrics. The future of my practice will lead me to participate in a program such as the Community Care for the Elderly (CCE) program that is run by the Department of Elder Affairs, State of Florida (State of Florida, 2011). I feel strongly enough about helping elderly patients that if I cannot make this a paying job, I will volunteer for such a program.
Many elderly patients find themselves in a nursing home due to financial restrictions and loss of specific functions. However, these patients are still very alive and deserve to have access to care with as little difficulty as possible – this means not having to travel and seeing them with less wait time than any other facility would be able to, since I will be coming directly to them. Being able to have these services where they currently live will help to create a safe space for them as they navigate the huge change from independent living to a community care living situation and to their new functional limitations.
Some of the specific interventions that I will do are weekly individual nursing appointments to address everyday concerns that may be separate from the reason they are in the nursing home and simply needs an active team member to connect the resources to the problem. I will also locate a psychological/psychiatric practitioner to come and have mental health wellness sessions with the residents to allow them to establish and feel comfortable with a new reality. Additionally, services would also be offered to family members caring with their elderly loved one. Caregiver stress will be addressed and mitigation to this issue would be a focus of my practice as well.