Description/Overview: When surveyed regarding knowledge and attitudes toward old people, 476 nurses answered 56% of questions incorrectly at a tertiary community hospital in which 35-40% of their inpatients are 65+ years old. Bedside nurses need education to improve knowledge and attitudes toward aging patients. Nursing professionals are poorly prepared to provide age-specific care to geriatric patients. Aging of the American population is a critical U. S. public health issue in the 21st century, and most nurses have not had formal education in geriatrics or in evidence-based practice/research. Coaching can unleash human potential to produce excellence in personal performance. Extramural funding was secured to educate staff nurses about geriatric best nursing practices, evidence-based project design and implementation, and to provide coaching and mentoring. Staff nurses attended a 2-day educational workshop and six 8-hour coaching and mentoring sessions over a 6-month period. Staff nurses designed and implemented measurable geriatric evidence-based projects. Program’s success was determined by: number of completed projects; individual project measures; and comparison of pre and post-project scores. Four projects were completed: “Nurse Readiness for Palliative Care Discussions”; “Geriatric Pain Management”; “Increasing Geriatric Mobility to Decrease Functional Decline”; and “Skin Integrity and Anti-embolism Stockings”. Statistical analysis of survey scores. Education provides the foundation for the development of staff nurse-driven evidence-based projects; coaching and mentoring empowers staff nurses to successfully implement projects. Application of knowledge through project development engages staff nurses as unit-based Geriatric Resource Nurses to mentor other nurses. Coaching and mentoring must be partnered with education to produce successful, sustainable staff nurse-driven evidence-based projects. Staff nurses lack skill in searching and reading research literature and in negotiating team dynamics. Budget additional time for nurse leaders to support project teams through unscheduled meetings that provide guidance and re-direction.

Learner Objective #1: Discuss components of an educational methodology that develops geriatric-friendly staff nurses.

Learner Objective #2: Describe outcomes of an educational intervention from the perspective of an educator, researcher, and staff nurse participant.