A nursing home rotation in a family practice residency

A nursing home rotation can be a complementary component of geriatrics education in a family practice residency curriculum. Using nursing homes in teaching geriatrics has been done for some time but has of late received more emphasis. This increasing emphasis has been brought about by the growing health care needs of an aging population and a concomitant focus on education in geriatrics. If implementation of a nursing home rotation is contemplated, both the positive and negative aspects of such action as it relates to the residents, the nursing home, and the nursing home patients should be explored. The rotation as incorporated into the geriatrics curriculum of the Family Practice Residency, Knoxville Unit, University of Tennessee College of Medicine, involves all second-year and third-year residents in the medical care for patients of a 222-bed long-term care facility. From an educational standpoint, overall evaluation of the rotation reflects satisfaction. The experience exemplifies personal and comprehensive continuity of patient care. Other educational benefits include desensitization to the nursing home environment, understanding the kinds of medical care that can be delivered in this setting, and appreciation for the cost not only to the patient and the family but also to the medical care system as well.