Gerontology coursework in undergraduate nursing programs in the United States: a regional study

Because of the changing demographics, it is increasingly necessary for nurses to acquire competence in gerontology. In this article, the authors present the findings of a study investigating the extent to which undergraduate nursing programs in the United States include gerontology. Fifty-six undergraduate nursing programs in the United States were examined. In this study, course content and program curricula were examined to assess the extent to which programs include gerontological content, either integrated into other courses, or as required, stand-alone courses. The sample was randomly chosen from the Northeast, South, West and Midwest regions. All programs were accredited. More than 85% of programs evaluated did not require coursework in gerontology. The authors suggest that nurses are not being educated adequately to care for older adults.