Brennan-Cook, Matters and Colleagues Host Gerontological Review Course for DUHS Nurses

Jill Brennan Cook, assistant professor; and Loretta Matters, director of Duke NICHE; partnered to develop and offer a gerontological review course to prepare Duke University Health System (DUHS) nurses to take the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) gerontological nurse certification exam. The review course consisted of four, four-hour classes based on the ANCC test blueprint and feedback from geriatric resource nurses (GRNs) as to areas of greatest interest/need. Valerie K. Sabol, professor; and Christine Tocchi, assistant professor; participated as guest speakers.  

Eighteen nurses attended the workshops, including 12 geriatric resource nurses.  Although there are more than 100 GRNs across the health system, prior to the review course there were only nine nurses certified in gerontology. To date, five attendees have taken and passed the exam increasing that number to 14 - congratulations to those nurses!