Geriatric Nurse – Career and Education Profile

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As a geriatric nurse, you’ll work with elderly patients to manage diseases, promote health, and generally work with senior citizens to increase their quality of life.

Job Responsibilities

The tasks you’ll do on a daily basis will depend on your education level and the facility where you work. Geriatric nurses are most commonly employed by nursing homes, where you’ll assist patients with hygiene, prepare patients for therapy to encourage mobility, feed patients who cannot feed themselves, develop pain management plans, provide companionship, communicate with families, monitor progress, check vital signs, administer medication, and more. Geriatric nurses can also work at more general hospitals or clinics, doing many of the same tasks but with the goal of sending the patient home rather than providing long-term care. Some geriatric nurses specialize in specific diseases that affect elderly patients, such as Alzheimer’s. You can also work at home health care services, traveling to elderly patients’ homes to provide daily care.

Salary and Career Options

On average, geriatric nurses make around $57,000 annually. You can make more if you get an associate of science in nursing or bachelor of science in nursing, which allows you to become an RN, but if you want to get started working in geriatrics as quickly as possible, you can become an LPN, which requires less than a year of training. The higher your level of education, the more money you can expect to make.

Educational Requirements

Your education will include classes in general nursing, anatomy, emergency first aid, communication, and more, and nursing programs also include on-hands training through clinical work. After you have at least 2000 hours of experience as a geriatric nurse and complete at least 30 hours of continuing education in this field, you can also pursue Gerontological Nursing Certification, allowing you to work in more specialized positions in this field.

LPN to RN College Programs

With some additional schooling, a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) can become a registered nurse (RN), opening doors to more job opportunities and higher salaries. The following is a list of schools with the best online LPN to RN degree programs offered by accredited colleges. You can request information by clicking the college's logo.

LPN to RN (BSN)	Indiana State University—ISU’s LPN to BSN degree program is the only online LPN to RN training program in the United States. LPNs and LVNs who complete this program can earn their NLNAC-approved Bachelor of Science degree in nursing entirely online. Upon completion, graduates should meet all of the prerequisites for becoming an RN. Read an in-depth review of Indiana State University.
LPN to RN LPN to ADN LPN to BSN	The College Network—Earn your LPN to RN (ADN) degree completely online with no campus attendance and no wait list. Learn from the convenience of home at your own pace, and earn an NLNAC-accredited associate’s degree in less time and for less money than traditional campus programs. Read an in-depth review of The College Network.
	Select a subject and degree level, then click "Find My Degree" to browse 100+ online nursing schools offering relevant accredited programs.
BS in Nursing RN to MSN MSN in Nurse Education MSN in Nurse Informatics MSN in Nurse Management	Walden University—Founded in 1970, Walden University is dedicated to providing education for a higher purpose. The Nursing School confers degrees at the bachelor’s and master’s level, which provides further study in health informatics, nursing education, and nursing leadership/management. Walden is one of the biggest providers of online master and doctorate programs with over a hundred degrees offered at each level.
RN to BSN MS in Nursing (MSN) MSN in Adult Health RN to MSN in Nurse Education Accelerated RN to MSN	South University—South University’s College of Nursing offers numerous degree programs for aspiring nurses. Those looking for a BSN degree can enter into the RN to BSN and complete it within 18 months. South also offers the following master’s degree-level programs: MS in Nursing (MSN), MSN in adult health nurse practitioning, MSN in nurse education, and an accelerated RN to MSN.
RN to BSN RN to MSN MSN in Nurse Administration MSN in Nurse Education	Kaplan University—Kaplan University’s RN to BSN and RN to MSN programs feature curriculums that provide registered nurses with the tools to graduate with BSN and MSN degrees. The MSNs in Nurse Administration or Nurse Education feature curriculums that teach methods in management and education in order to prepare students for leadership and educator positions with in the nursing field.