a decrease in overall healthcare costs (Hirschman et al., 2015). Training and education Gerontological nursing includes generalist and specialist practice. A generalist is a registered nurse or Licensed Practical Nurse. A gerontological nurse specialist is an advanced practice nurse or nurse practitioner who has graduate education in gerontological nursing. Specific education in gerontological care is important for all nurses, even those who work outside of long-term care, because older adults make up a significant portion of patients across specialties. However, additional certification in Gerontological care is uncommon for registered nurses, with less than 1% being certified. Fewer than 3% of advance practice nurses in the United States have this certification. Registered nurses have the option of becoming certified in gerontological nursing. National nursing organizations such as the American Nurses Credentialing Center and the Canadian Nurses Association offer certification in gerontological nursing. Requirements for maintaining certification vary. The American Nurses Credentialing Center lists requirements as including 2 years experience as an RN, 2,000 hours of clinical experience and 30 hours of continuing education, both within the specialty of gerontological nursing. Post graduate certificates in gerontological nursing are also available by completing continuing education courses through colleges and universities. Gerontological nursing is often ignored within baccalaureate educational programs, with only 1/3rd of all schools requiring a specific course in geriatrics. This is due to educational programs focusing more attention on the sick rather than the well, who are more representative of the older population. Many nursing programs that do not have specific gerontological courses have instead integrated this content into the existing curriculum. 1/4th of all nursing programs in the United States do not have a gerontological staff member. To better identify those who are most qualified and experienced in managing patient care, there is an APRN Specialty Certification in Gerontology. This APRN Gerontological Specialist Certification (GS-c) distinguishes APRNs who possess expert knowledge, experience, and skill in managing the complex health needs of older adults. Due to the knowledge gap from nursing school to the work force, it is advised that nurse educators modify current curriculum to the fast growing elderly population by incorporating content specific to the care of the elderly from pre-licensure through the doctorate’s level. Researcher Cline was able to create a framework centering around the complexity of care among the elderly, that schools could use to educate students with the intention to improve quality of care. Another study