Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders (NICHE) program gained a national reputation as the model of acute care for older adults. The 21st century has provided a resurgency in gerontological care, as older adults are gaining full status and recognition by society. As the baby boomers enter the older age group in 2011, this cadre of individuals will not only expect but demand excellence in geriatric care. In 2003, the collaborative efforts of the John A. Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing, the American Academy of Nursing, and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) led to the development of the Hartford Geriatric Nursing Initiative (HGNI). This initiative substantially increased the number of gerontological nurse scientists and the development of evidence-based gerontological nursing practice. Today, there are multiple professional journals, books, Web sites, and organizations dedicated to the nursing care of older adults. One of the newest journals to emerge in 2008 was the Journal of Gerontological Nursing Research. 55805_CH01_0001_0025.qxd 2/19/09 1:01 PM Page 5 6 Chapter 1: Introduction to Gerontological Nursing The development of gerontological nursing as a specialty is attributed to a host of nursing pioneers. The majority of these nurses were from the United States; however, two key trailblazers were from England. Florence Nightingale and Doreen Norton provided early insights into the “care of the aged.” Nightingale was truly the first geriatric nurse, because she accepted the nurse superintendent position in an English institution comparable to our current nursing homes. She cared for wealthy women’s maids and helpers in an institution called the Care of Sick Gentlewomen in Distressed Circumstances (Wykle & McDonald, 1997). Doreen Norton summarized her thoughts on geriatric nursing in a 1956 speech at the annual conference of the Student Nurses Association in London. She later focused her career on care of the aged and wrote often about the unique and specific needs of elders and the nurses caring for them. She identified the advantages of learning geriatric care in basic nursing education as: 1) learning patience, tolerance, understanding, and basic nursing skills; 2) witnessing the terminal stages of disease and the importance of skilled nursing care at that time; 3) preparing for the future, because no matter where one works in nursing the aged will be a great part of the care; 4) recognizing the importance of appropriate rehabilitation, which calls upon all the skill that nurses possess; and 5) being aware of the need to undertake research in geriatric nursing (Norton, 1956). LANDMARKS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF GERONTOLOGICAL NURSING Nurse scientists, educators, authors, and clinicians forged the way for the overall development of gerontological nursing as we know it today. Some of the most notable pioneers were Irene Burnside, Sister Rose Theresa Barr, Virginia Stone, Lucille Gress, Laurie Gunter, Doris Schwartz, Eleanor Pingrey, Terri Brower, Thelma Wells, Pricilla Ebersole, Patricia Hess, Mary Opal Wolanin, Cynthia Kelly, Florence Cellar, Neville Strumpf, Bernita Steffl, Edna Stilwell, Charlotte Eliopoulos, Lois Evans, Mathy Mezey, Terry Fulmer, Jeannie Kyser-Jones, Cornelia Beck, Meridean Maas, Kathleen Buckwalter, and Anne Leukenotte. The following is a summary of significant landmarks in the development of gerontological nursing as a specialty: 1902 American Journal of Nursing (AJN) publishes first geriatric article by an MD 1904 AJN publishes first geriatric article by an RN 1925 AJN considers geriatric nursing as a potential specialty Anonymous column entitled “Care of the Aged” appears in AJN 1950 First geriatric nursing textbook, Geriatric Nursing (Newton), published First master’s thesis in geriatric nursing completed by Eleanor Pingrey Geriatrics becomes a specialization in nursing 1952 First geriatric nursing study published in Nursing Research 1961 ANA recommends specialty group for geriatric nurses 1962 ANA holds first National Nursing Meeting on Geriatric Nursing Practice 1966 ANA forms a geriatric nursing division First Gerontological Clinical Nurse Specialist master’s program begins at Duke University 1968