An Interprofessional Yearlong Geriatrics Fellowship Program for Advanced Practice Nursing and Social Work Students

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Interprofessional Education
• Healthcare Workforce Development

Background:

• Effective team-based care is crucial for older adults with complex health conditions.
• Nursing and social work students require specialized geriatric training for competent practice.
• Existing curricula often lack immersive geriatric experiences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate an interprofessional gerontology fellowship for advanced practice nursing (APN) and master of social work (MSW) students.
• To assess the fellowship's impact on students' knowledge, clinical skills, and preparedness for team-based care.
• To provide recommendations for developing similar geriatric training programs.

Main Methods:

• A 2-semester interprofessional fellowship program was implemented over 3 years.
• The program supported 3 cohorts of 5 APN and 5 MSW student fellows (N=30).
• Fellowship outcomes were assessed based on knowledge, clinical competencies, and perceived preparedness.

Main Results:

• Students demonstrated increased knowledge of age-related changes and health issues in older adults.
• Students developed clinical competencies in patient-centered geriatric care.
• Fellowship participants reported enhanced preparedness for interprofessional team care.

Conclusions:

• An interprofessional gerontology fellowship effectively enhances knowledge and skills for team-based care of older adults.
• The fellowship model is valuable for preparing APN and MSW students for geriatric practice.
• Curriculum development recommendations are provided for future gerontology fellowships.