Policy Gaps and Educational Needs for Gerontological Nursing in Nepal: Evidence from Secondary Data on Aging Health Policies

Abstract

Nepal is undergoing a demographic transition, with an increasing percentage of its population entering the senior age category, putting a strain on the healthcare system. Gerontological nursing is a specialized branch of nursing care and is under developed in the country and concerns have been raised about the readiness of the nursing workforce to serve the emerging needs of older people. To identify policy gaps and evaluate the educational needs for gerontological nursing in Nepal, this study will use secondary analysis of the current Nepal national health policies, strategic documents and reports. Content analysis of documents from the Ministry of Health and Population, international health organisations and peer-reviewed literature is used to map the current state of geriatric care and the development of the nursing workforce, with a view to filling gaps in the policies. Documents from the Ministry of Health and Population, international health organisations, and peer-reviewed literature are analysed using content analysis with a view to filling gaps in policies concerning geriatric care and the development of the nursing workforce. The findings indicated that, although several policies are in place in Nepal to address the elderly population, there is a lack of specific policy guidance on gerontological nursing education, curriculum development and capacity building. Current systems tend to focus on overall provision of health services for older people and fail to incorporate structured initiatives to develop geriatric skills in nurses. The study highlights the importance of targeted educational programs, policy changes, and the integration of gerontology-related modules into nursing education to enhance the healthcare workforce by addressing the specific needs of older adults. It is very important to fill these gaps to ensure that nurses are well equipped to offer comprehensive, age-appropriate care and to meet the changing healthcare requirements of the aging population in Nepal. This study provides practical policy suggestions for health policymakers, teachers and health providers to improve gerontological nursing services and health outcomes of older people in Nepal.