Become a Member of the Canadian Gerontology Nurses Association

GNAO provides educational events and resources for nurses, students, educators and others. These activities help to fulfill the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) professional standard requirement for continuous learning.

Nursing faculty can offer final integrated practicum placements in gerontological care settings to promote student nurses' positive perceptions of older adults and urgently needed gerontological competence. These outcomes may translate into improved experiences and health outcomes for older Canadians.

Membership

Membership in AGNA opens the door to many opportunities and connections including chapter events, professional learning, networking, and more. In addition, AGNA members are also automatically enrolled as a member of CGNA. CGNA membership offers benefits that are unparalleled by any other nursing specialty association in Canada. Become a CGNA member today!

The Canadian Gerontological Nurses Association represents gerontological nurses across Canada and internationally. It aims to advance gerontological nursing and healthcare for older adults through leadership, knowledge, scholarships, advocacy and activities. CGNA influences practice and education through its views expressed to government, professionals and students. It encourages high standards of gerontological nursing care, research and professionalism in caring for older adults.

RNs who specialize in gerontology are part of interprofessional teams that provide care for older adults in a variety of settings, such as acute care hospitals (AGU), community clinics, and long-term care facilities. This study provides a snapshot of the attitudes of newly registered RNs and RPNs in Ontario towards working with older adults and their intentions to work as nurses in gerontological care settings (AGUs or LTCF). A positive relationship was found between completing multiple geriatric-focused clinical placements as a student and the participants' intention to work in a geriatric care setting. However, more research is needed to understand the role that personal attitude plays in influencing these intentions.

Education

The CGNA biennial conference provides an opportunity for nurses and nursing students to share their experiences and knowledge of gerontological practice. The conference is designed to assist in developing and maintaining the highest standards of nursing care for older adults.

The conference offers educational sessions on a variety of topics relevant to the field of gerontological nursing, including clinical issues, research and best practices in long term care, as well as a variety of professional development topics.

In addition to educational sessions, the conference features exhibits and networking opportunities for nurses interested in gerontological nursing. The GNAO also offers a number of scholarships for nursing students.

Studies have shown that personal attitudes toward older people are a key factor in nurses' intention to work with the aging population (King et al., 2013). In order to encourage nurses to choose careers in caring for the aging, it is important that geriatric nursing content be integrated within the nursing curriculum and that a strong emphasis be placed on providing students with multiple clinical placements in gerontological care settings.

Further, research is needed to identify the best ways to integrate geriatric clinical experiences into a beginning fundamental nursing course, as well as what types of clinical education settings are most effective in encouraging new nurses to choose career paths that include working with the aging population.

Advocacy

The Canadian population is aging, and it is estimated that by 2038, 68% of all nursing jobs will be in long-term care facilities (LTCs). Currently, approximately 32,000 Ontario residents are waiting for LTC placements (Ontario Long Term Care Association, 2019). In addition to the need to increase staffing in LTCFs and other geriatric settings, there is a need to recruit and retain nurses who have specialized knowledge in gerontology.

One way to support this goal is through advocacy, which can be done at the local, provincial, national, or international level. GNAO’s members advocate through their work in various areas, including academic and clinical practice, and through participation at CGNA’s biennial conference.

GNAO advocates for a high standard of gerontological nursing practice through the following activities:

Nursing students can learn from mentors who have a strong background in geriatrics, and who have the ability to inspire, motivate, and encourage new nurses to pursue a career in geriatrics. In addition, it is important to provide new nurses with opportunities to complete final integrated practicum placements in a gerontological nursing setting. This can increase a student’s comfort level with caring for older adults and can improve their self-efficacy to work in this field upon graduation.

Resources

With an aging population, many nurses will need to care for older adults. It is imperative that new graduate nurses are prepared to work in gerontological care settings such as acute geriatric units and long term care facilities. GNAO is committed to providing resources that assist in the preparation and education of students and new graduates to enter the gerontological nursing workforce.

GNAO provides access to a library of presentations, handouts and videos of past conferences to support your educational needs in the field of gerontology nursing. The library is accessible through the GNAO website and can be accessed by clicking on the “Resources” tab on the left of the home page.

The GNAO website also contains links to useful educational and research resources. For example, the Alzheimer Society of Canada offers current information about Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, caregiving, and support. Similarly, the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse and Mental Health (CCSMH) provides information and resources to promote the mental health of seniors.

The GNAO website also includes links to specialty associations in the field of gerontological nursing. These organizations offer useful resources for preparing for the Canadian Gerontological Nurse Certification exam and for maintaining your specialty credential. GNAO members are eligible to claim continuing learning credits for participation in these activities, which help you fulfill the College of Nurses of Ontario’s professional standard requirement of continuous competence.