UCSF

Older adults use the Emergency Department (ED) more than any other age group besides infants. Despite high utilization, both the physical environment and care processes in the traditional ED are poorly suited to address the complex needs of older adults. As a result, older adults often experience poor outcomes in the ED. Geriatric nursing has been at the forefront of efforts to develop Geriatric Emergency Department Interventions (GEDI's) to try to address these deficits and improve care. As frontline providers with frequent patient contact, nursing brings critical viewpoints to these issues. This article provides some resources and other ideas for how frontline nurses can improve care for older adults in the ED. Ultimately, to have meaningful impacts on care of older adults in the ED, there is a dire need for greater financial investment specific to geriatric nursing education, training, and research in the ED.