Literature Review

Gerontological nursing essentials for BSN students: Meeting aging population needs Nevada State | RN to BSN; 10/9/25 An aging population is transforming healthcare delivery, and nurses are increasingly called to address the complex needs of older adults. For students pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), learning the essentials of gerontological nursing provides the foundation to deliver compassionate, effective care. This specialty emphasizes not only clinical expertise but also communication, cultural competence, and advocacy for patient dignity. Explore what defines this field, the role of an adult gerontology nurse practitioner, and the pathways available to see how they can shape the future of elder care. Editor's Note: How is your organization supporting career growth for all staff members? While this article focuses on the RN-to-BSN pathway with a gerontological nursing emphasis, consider expanding professional development opportunities across your entire workforce—clinical and non-clinical alike. For example: 

Nurse practitioner, RN shortage to hit 362,000 by 2032 Becker's Clinical Leadership; by Paige Twenter; 9/17/25 More than 1 million U.S. nurses are expected to retire by 2030 — far outpacing the projected number of new nurse graduates, according to research published Sept. 16. A study at the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, based in Washington, D.C., investigated the growing skills shortage across 561 occupations. ... Between 2024 and 2032, an estimated 18.4 million workers with postsecondary education are expected to retire, according to the report. Only 13.8 million workers will enter the labor market with equivalent education and training ... The researchers predict a shortfall of 328,100 registered nurses, 42,100 licensed practical nurses and 33,800 nurse practitioners through 2032. 

Students lift patients' spirits with Words of Warmth The Daily Toreador, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX; by Christian Jeter; 9/19/25 As pens hit paper with words of love and encouragement, students gathered to write letters to patients currently in hospice care at the Student Activities Board’s Words of Warmth event on Sept. 19. Hosted on the first floor of the Student Union Building, the event invited students to write a letter or decorate gift bags with uplifting words as a part of the SAB’s Service Week, a period of time in which the organization holds community service-focused volunteer events. ... Phrases such as “Peace and love” and “Wishing you comfort” were some of the many suggestions SAB members recommended students write on their letters. Students could also write more in-depth text or personal anecdotes.

The tangled web of nurse education Becker's Clinical Leadership; by Mariah Taylor; 8/29/25 In the last few years, hospital leaders have been faced with a tangled web of needs: easing nurse shortages, retaining nurses, and helping all pursue their career dreams. Their solutions all come down to nurse education. Health systems have been taking a more active role in providing, supporting and building out nurse education programs in universities and as part of employee benefits. However, they still face a number of complex issues.  Editor's Note: What types of career ladder systems and support to you have in place, especially for your aides to move into nursing and to grow nurses into leadership roles? What universities or online education systems can you utilize? What personalized educational assessments and plans to you include in your employees' regular Performance Reviews? For nonprofits, what donor/grant-driven programs do you have, or might you start to support career ladders for your clinical employees?

How Ochsner Health integrated palliative care training into its medical school curriculumCAPC blog; by Thomas Morel, Susan Nelson, Elizabeth Monies, Sarah Jin Lee; 8/14/25Making the case for palliative care in undergraduate medical education—and practical advice for getting started. We always begin our palliative care lecture for fourth-year medical students with a loss exercise... "This experience underscores the reality that anyone can become seriously ill, and everyone deserves access to the benefits of palliative care." Medical schools have a unique opportunity—and responsibility—to teach foundational palliative care principles. The need is clear: research shows increasing demand for quality palliative care education. Yet in the U.S, medical schools vary widely in how—or whether—they include it in their curricula.

McGill Palliative Care National Grand Rounds: Dignity, Personhood and Intensive Caring: New Insights into Patient Suffering - Dr. Harvey Max ChochinovMcGill Palliative Care announcement; 8/13/25This free presentation has the following objectives:

Demographic variations and temporal trends in hospice and palliative care fellowship matches in the United States Scientific Reports; by Aman Goyal, Samuel L. Flesner, Urooj Shamim, Sonia Hurjkaliani, Priya Goyal, Mohamed Daoud & Amir Humza Sohail; 8/8/25 ... In summary, the number of Hospice and Palliative Care fellowship training programs, positions, and applicants increased. Female applicants, compared to males, and White applicants, relative to their representation in all fellowships, accounted for a larger proportion of applications and had higher match rates. ... Future research should focus on initiatives to address challenges such as the underrepresentation of certain demographics in palliative care and the growing demand for trained professionals as the population ages.