GED Nurse Champion Education Resources

As I was preparing an education plan for our geriatric emergency department (GED) registered nurse (RN) champions and staff at my own facility, I created a list of available resources.

GED RNs are are an essential part of an effective interprofessional GED team, and education in the principles and clinical topics should be a priority.

I wanted to share some excellent online resources for any emergency department RN interested in geriatric care. This isn’t an exhaustive list, but I tried to provide as many free resources as possible.

Geri-EM Online

Cost: Free
1.00 ANCC contact hours/module (8 modules total)

Geri-EM Online is the latest iteration of Dr. Don Melady’s outstanding online learning resource Geri-EM.com. These eight modules are designed for emergency clinicians interested in providing excellent care for older adults.

Topics include atypical presentations, cognitive impairment, emergency management of falls, end-of-life and symptom management, frailty, functional assessment and discharge planning, major trauma, and medication management.

If completing eight hours of online learning isn’t realistic for you right now, I suggest prioritizing the modules on atypical presentations and functional assessment and discharge planning as an entry point to learning GED principles.

GEDC Skills Fair: Mobility Risks and Falls

Cost: Free
0.50 ANCC contact hours/module (3 modules total with more in development)

GEDC is developing a series of focused modules in different areas of geriatric care. I recommend these to any ED nurse. Falls in older adults are common and these modules will sharpen your skills in looking after these older patients.

ENA Resources

Cost: Depends on Membership. Not free.

The Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) provides a number of courses for its members, and non-members can pay a fee for access.

There are three  Geriatric Emergency Nursing Education (GENE) modules:

GENE Level 1

$$ – depends on membership. See link.
1.5 Contact Hour Credits

This online course provides the foundational geriatric knowledge, skills and systematic process needed to effectively guide geriatric patient care and improve outcomes.

GENE Level 2

$$ depends on membership. See link
3 Contact Hour Credits

Improve your geriatric patient care by understanding why high-risk patients present with vague and atypical symptoms.

GENE Level 3

$$ depends on membership. See link
.75 Contact Hour Credits

This course will prepare the ED RN to improve geriatric patient outcomes by providing an awareness of how language barriers in healthcare and a lack of empathy may contribute to a less than optimal experience and poor outcomes for the patient.

Contributing Faculty

Aaron Malsch

RN, MSN, GCNS-BC

Bio

As the Program Director of the Geriatric Emergency Department Collaborative (GEDC), Aaron Malsch leads and supports the implementation of the Geriatric Emergency Department (GED) model of care internationally. The GEDC is dedicated to improving the quality of care for older people in the emergency department through education, implementation, and evaluation at the individual, unit, site, system, and regional levels. He is board-certified as a Gerontological Clinical Nurse Specialist (GCNS-BC).

Previously, Aaron focused on nursing and inter-professional practice as it relates to the elder population throughout the Advocate Health system of clinics, hospitals, emergency departments, home care services, and long term setting partners. He has developed expertise in rapid, system level implementation, sustainable improvement in practice, research, and demonstrated outcomes. He has also created a nationally recognized Geriatric Emergency Department program with 22 Advocate Health sites achieving ACEP Geri ED accreditation. Aaron contributes nationally to the improvement of care for older adults, as the Chair of the geriatric committee at the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA), GEDC Core Faculty, and reviewer for Geriatric ED Accreditation (GEDA) program at American College of Emergency Physicians.

Publications