News — (June 21, 2018) The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) and the Organization for Associate Degree Nursing (OADN) are collaborating in a new partnership with the goal of sharing education and training tools with their respective members to enhance the care of older adults.
OADN, founded in 1984, is the premier organization and national voice providing advocacy for associate degree nursing, continually present and active in trends and issues impacting nursing education, workforce, and healthcare policy. With over fifty percent of nurses beginning their education at the community college, associate degree nursing remains a vital entry point into the profession of nursing.
Founded in 1945, GSA is the oldest and largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to research, education, and practice in the field of aging. Its principal mission is to promote the study of aging and disseminate information to scientists, decision makers, and the general public.
“GSA believes that expanding the number of appropriately trained medical professionals, including associate degree nurses, is an important part of assuring that quality medical care is available for older adults,” said Karen Tracy, GSA’s vice president of strategic alliances and integrated communications.
Among the resources that GSA will make available to OADN are guides on communicating with older adults and improving the oral health of older adults, in addition to a toolkit for detecting cognitive impairment and diagnosing dementia as early as possible.
“Associate degree nursing education continues to be an important pathway for professionals seeking work in long term care and other care settings of critical importance to the aging population. As the life span continues to expand, and nurses care for more older adults, it is imperative that nurses entering the profession have the most up-to-date skills and resources,” said OADN CEO Donna Meyer, MSN, RN, ANEF, FAADN. “Partnering with GSA will allow OADN members to acquire the most up to date information from experts in the field to share as they educate the next generation of the nursing workforce.
Moving forward, GSA and OADN will have a presence at each other’s annual meetings, share educational materials, and create dedicated online repository of resources for the use of both organizations’ memberships.
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The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) is the nation’s oldest and largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to research, education, and practice in the field of aging. The principal mission of the Society — and its 5,500+ members — is to advance the study of aging and disseminate information among scientists, decision makers, and the general public. GSA’s structure also includes a policy institute, the National Academy on an Aging Society, and an educational organization, the Academy for Gerontology in Higher Education.
The Organization for Associate Degree Nursing’s (OADN) mission is to provide visionary leadership in nursing education to improve the health and wellbeing of the communities they serve. By fostering dynamic and collaborative nursing education strategies, OADN ensures that the associate degree nursing remains a pathway for a diverse spectrum of students, enriching the profession of nursing and meeting the health care needs of our communities.
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