Geriatric Care Managers: A Collaborative Resource to the Physician Practice

The Emergence of Private Sector Geriatric Care Management

Geriatric Care Management, a multidisciplinary profession made up primarily of nurses & social workers, first emerged as a professional field about 15 years ago when experienced clinical professionals, accross the country began, to leave traditional third party settings. Disillusioned with the large caseloads typical in non-profit and publicly funded agencies, and the limitations of third party payors such as Medicare, a group of about 100 practitioners in 22 states had begun to set up private consulting practices to help family caregivers of frail elders. They met to share ideas and to discuss how they conducted their private clinical gerontology practices. The result of these early meetings led to the formation of the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers (NAPGCM). NAPGCM currently consists of more than 1500 professional geriatric care managers nationwide with a vast majority in individual or group practices. The national association exists to foster the profession of GCM through marketing and public relations, legislative activism and professional development. NAPGCM facilitates a yearly national conference, publishes a practice journal and several other publications. Additionally, individual state and regional chapters host regular chapter meetings and some also hold chapter conferences.

-What is a Professional Geriatric Care Manager? -

A Professional Geriatric Care Manager (GCM) is a human service professional who specializes in assisting elders and their families with long term care issues. Read the rest of this entry »

Get Out of Work on Time – 5 Habits for Nurses to Develop

You have trouble leaving work when your shift is over. The overtime pay is nice, but how much is that extra time at work cutting into your home and personal time? As a nurse, you expect there will be emergencies that prevent you from leaving sometimes. But every day? If this describes you, develop these five habits to get out of work on time.

1. Prioritize and Delegate
Is there always too much to do in your eight or 12 hour shift? If you can, do the most important tasks when you first arrive at work. Plan your day before you begin. Are you the only one who can do all the tasks? Delegate any work you can. If there still seems to be too much to do, write down everything you need to do and the amount of time it takes you to do it. If the time it takes to fulfill your job responsibilities is more than the number of hours you work, ask your supervisor if there are any duties you can eliminate.

2. Manage Time Wisely
Reduce any time you waste during your shift so you don’t end up trying to catch up later. Don’t skip breaks and meals. They can revitalize you. Try working harder and faster at the beginning of your workday when you are fresh. That way you can wind down when you are more tired at the end of your shift. Document as you go instead of waiting until the last minute. If you have a big project, break it down into smaller steps. Do a little each day. Read the rest of this entry »

Learning About Three of the Most Common Nursing Courses

A student wanting to become a nurse has a variety of nursing courses to choose from. Deciding which of these nursing courses to choose is important if one wants to start a career in the nursing profession. A career is a lifetime choice, not a trial-and-error decision. The chances to succeed later on in the profession will depend on whether you have chosen a nursing course that is best suited to one’s personality.

This article will give the aspiring nursing student a general overview of the three most popular nursing programs that are in demand these days. These are the Registered Nursing (RN) Program, the Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN Program and Nursing Assistant Programs (NAs). One basic difference between the three programs is the length of time each takes to finish.

Duration of Study Read the rest of this entry »