Nursing Essay

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Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment
The National Clinical Programme for Older People urges timely provision and permanent documentation of Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) to senior adults that are frail or at risk of being so (Rockwood 489). This population of older persons has markedly higher rates of admissions, more extended hospital stays and bed days than other groups of patients. Frailty can be mild, moderate to advanced frailty requiring interventions ranging from assisted self-management, pre-emptive care planning or end-of-life care. Denoting frailty or its risk requires assessing elements of a patient’s physical being, functionality, social welfare and psychology (Rockwood 490).
The physical assessment part of a CGA analyzes elements such as presenting complaints and medical history. Moreover, the reconciliation of their medication, nutrition, alcohol intake and their immunization status. The functional assessment includes an evaluation of the patient’s capabilities in their activities of daily living, gait and balance and mobility. The psychological evaluation involves assays of the patient’s cognizance and mood. Finally, the assessment of the patient’s social health should include elements of their living situation, support from friends and family, adaptability with their caregiver, financial status, and home environment. These four dimensions encompass the main aspects of CGA, and their standings could inform the multidisciplinary care provided arbitrarily as scenarios rarely match.

While conducting such an assessment, a nurse should consider the primary symptoms of frailty including falls, diminished mobility, delirium, incontinence and increased sensitivity to medication. It is easy to fail to connect the dots during the day-to-day nursing care, more so in non-geriatric clinics. Therefore, when dealing with older people, nurses should consider the various elements that indicate frailty or the risk of it, and, after that, indicate CGA.

Works Cited
Rockwood, Kenneth, et al. "A global clinical measure of fitness and frailty in elderly people." Canadian Medical Association Journal 173.5 (2005): 489-495.