3 answers
Calista
Student
Green Bay, Wisconsin
1
Question
Updated
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How high is the demand for geriatric nurse practitioners?
I want to be a geriatric nurse practitioner, but I want to make sure that the field im going into will have a high enough demand so I can have job security.
#nursing #geriatrics #love #nursing #medicine
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3 answers
Virgilio Ricci
Senior Consultant
2
Answers
Milan, Lombardy, Italy
Updated
Virgilio’s Answer
There are no "secure fields" in the job... but I want to highlight the following facts:
1) People are living longer
2) Lack of job (or Career needs) are pushing many people to move away from their parents cities, so parents often need assistance from strangers.
3) many people prefers in-house assistance instead of big-structures
For these reason I believe that, If you have such kind of interest and you are a patience person (it will help you a lot, trust me) you will be able to find some job for personal private assistance or as employee of some structure!
1) People are living longer
2) Lack of job (or Career needs) are pushing many people to move away from their parents cities, so parents often need assistance from strangers.
3) many people prefers in-house assistance instead of big-structures
For these reason I believe that, If you have such kind of interest and you are a patience person (it will help you a lot, trust me) you will be able to find some job for personal private assistance or as employee of some structure!
Anuj Gupta
Software Engineering
330
Answers
Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Updated
Anuj’s Answer
If you are looking for absolute, ironclad job security, you could not choose a better field than becoming an Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner (AGNP).
The demand is not just high; it is reaching unprecedented, critical levels.
1. The Numbers: Massive, Unstoppable Growth
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), overall employment for Nurse Practitioners is projected to grow by roughly 35% to 40% over the next decade, making it one of the fastest-growing professions in the entire economy.
Within that category, geriatrics is seeing the most intense pressure due to an inescapable demographic shift: the aging population. The entire "Baby Boomer" generation is entering their senior years, and adults over 65 utilize healthcare services more than twice as often as younger generations.
2. A Severe Shortage of Competitors
While the number of elderly patients is skyrocketing, the supply of specialized providers is not keeping pace:
The Doctor Shortage: The U.S. is facing a massive deficit of primary care physicians, particularly in geriatrics.
The AGNP Leverage: Currently, only about 7% to 8% of all certified Nurse Practitioners choose to specialize in Adult-Gerontology. Because so many nursing students choose family practice or pediatrics, you will be entering a highly specialized niche where employers will actively compete to hire you.
3. Diverse, Flexible Work Settings
Because older adults require care across a broad spectrum of environments, your career will be highly recession-proof and flexible. You can choose to work in:
Primary Care/Outpatient Clinics: Managing chronic illnesses (diabetes, hypertension) during normal business hours.
Acute Care/Hospitals: Working in emergency rooms, intensive care units, or trauma units handling critical, urgent situations.
Long-Term Facilities & Assisted Living: Coordinating complex care plans for residents.
Home Health & Telehealth: Providing specialized, autonomous care directly to patients in their living spaces.
4. High Earning Potential
Because the demand is so high, the financial security matches the job security. The median annual salary for an Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner ranges from $112,000 to over $134,000 depending on your geographic location (with states like California, New York, and Texas paying the highest averages) and whether you choose primary or acute care.
You are choosing a career where you will never have to worry about finding a job. Your future patients—and the healthcare systems trying to care for them—are desperately going to need your expertise. Are you leaning more toward the primary care (clinic-based) side of geriatrics, or the acute care (hospital/emergency) side?
The demand is not just high; it is reaching unprecedented, critical levels.
1. The Numbers: Massive, Unstoppable Growth
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), overall employment for Nurse Practitioners is projected to grow by roughly 35% to 40% over the next decade, making it one of the fastest-growing professions in the entire economy.
Within that category, geriatrics is seeing the most intense pressure due to an inescapable demographic shift: the aging population. The entire "Baby Boomer" generation is entering their senior years, and adults over 65 utilize healthcare services more than twice as often as younger generations.
2. A Severe Shortage of Competitors
While the number of elderly patients is skyrocketing, the supply of specialized providers is not keeping pace:
The Doctor Shortage: The U.S. is facing a massive deficit of primary care physicians, particularly in geriatrics.
The AGNP Leverage: Currently, only about 7% to 8% of all certified Nurse Practitioners choose to specialize in Adult-Gerontology. Because so many nursing students choose family practice or pediatrics, you will be entering a highly specialized niche where employers will actively compete to hire you.
3. Diverse, Flexible Work Settings
Because older adults require care across a broad spectrum of environments, your career will be highly recession-proof and flexible. You can choose to work in:
Primary Care/Outpatient Clinics: Managing chronic illnesses (diabetes, hypertension) during normal business hours.
Acute Care/Hospitals: Working in emergency rooms, intensive care units, or trauma units handling critical, urgent situations.
Long-Term Facilities & Assisted Living: Coordinating complex care plans for residents.
Home Health & Telehealth: Providing specialized, autonomous care directly to patients in their living spaces.
4. High Earning Potential
Because the demand is so high, the financial security matches the job security. The median annual salary for an Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner ranges from $112,000 to over $134,000 depending on your geographic location (with states like California, New York, and Texas paying the highest averages) and whether you choose primary or acute care.
You are choosing a career where you will never have to worry about finding a job. Your future patients—and the healthcare systems trying to care for them—are desperately going to need your expertise. Are you leaning more toward the primary care (clinic-based) side of geriatrics, or the acute care (hospital/emergency) side?
Jenna Zebrowski, JD, MBA
Bilingual JD/MBA with compliance and regulatory experience and real estate (leasing and franchise) expertise
135
Answers
Dallas, Texas
Updated
Jenna’s Answer
There's no guarantee of job security, no matter what your field is. However, everyone eventually gets old, and as a rule, people are living longer, so they are old longer. If this is a field you are truly interested in, then there is very likely going to be a supply of older patients that would need your care. In short, people that need health care are living longer, so there's a good likelihood they could potentially be your patients.