Biola Nursing Program Receives National Award
As the population of elderly Americans grows so does the need for medical facilities and caregivers trained specifically for this group of patients.
Dr. Cheryl Zukerberg of Biola’s nursing program recognized this growing medical need and has sought to address the growing field of geriatric nursing throughout the school’s undergraduate curriculum.
Her innovative ideas and curriculum outline recently earned Biola’s nursing program national recognition.
The John A. Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing, in conjunction with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), recognized Biola’s nursing program with the Infusing Geriatrics into the Nursing Curriculum Award.
Dr. Zukerberg, along with colleagues Dr. Rebekah Fleeger and Dr. Cindy Westcott, attended the AACN's semi-annual conference in Washington, D.C., on October 26 to accept the award.
While the entire nursing program was presented with this award, Biola nursing professor Dr. Rebekah Fleeger insists the school's current curriculum is due, in large part, to the work of Dr. Zukerberg.
"Dr. Zukerberg has been instrumental in integrating the study of geriatric nursing in the school’s general nursing curriculum," said Dr. Fleeger.
In addition to one stand-alone course, the topic of geriatric nursing is thread through a number of classes. For example, in a class on pediatrics, the subject of grandparents and their role in child development is discussed. Dr. Zukerberg's nursing curriculum includes not only classroom discussions of care for the elderly patient, but also out-of-class projects that allow for hands-on experience with geriatric nursing. In one such hands-on project, students experience simulated medical disorders that commonly occur in the aging process. To replicate specific eye disorders, such as macular degeneration, students are fitted with specialized eyeglasses. Hearing loss is demonstrated through the use of earplugs. These exercises give students a better understanding of what is happening to the body as it ages.
The AACN was impressed with the simplicity and effectiveness of Zukerberg's student exercises. A program like Biola's is easy to replicate and this factor is an important element of the awards program. Ultimately, the AACN's awards are a method of gathering effective teaching techniques in the field of geriatric nursing in order that the AACN can then promote these models to other schools across the United States.
Dr. Zukerberg's curriculum was showcased at this national meeting and later distributed to nursing programs across the nation.