Policy Around Geriatric Driving Essay Discussion

30 professionally appearing slides (such as PowerPoint) for class viewing that illustrate a contemporary health-related public policy or professional clinical practice-related policy issue impacting advanced nursing practice. There must also be 12–15 scholarly, peer-reviewed references reflected in the presentation and provided in an APA reference page format. Content should include:
ï‚· clear evidence supporting policy enactment or change (this will be a brief review of the
policy topic paper)
ï‚· feasibility
ï‚· ethical considerations
ï‚· barriers to change
ï‚· identification of facilitators
ï‚· key stakeholders
ï‚· role of the graduate degree nurse in the proposed policy and analysis processes
ï‚· risks associated with the status quo vs risks associated with changing Policy Around Geriatric Driving Essay Discussion
ï‚· the impact on nursing practice
Other potential topics, depending on the policy issue chosen could include:
ï‚· social determinants of health related to the chosen issue
ï‚· interprofessional/transdisciplinary initiatives in addressing the issue
For slide presentations, slides must be readable and visually appealing—not overly crowded.

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The rising growth of the elderly population within the last two decades has led to an increase in the number of elderly drivers. As a consequence, this growth has led to an increment in fatal road accidents. Due to fragility related to age, elderly drivers tend to be susceptible to death and injuries due to road accidents. The risk of accidents is a growth public health issue in need of certain policies, guidelines, and restrictions for elderly drivers. As people age, they experience cognitive and physiological decline that increases with age and has encouraged certain preventive measures on the ability to operate a motor vehicle. This presentation presents and overview of a policy on geriatric driving and the role of an advanced practice nurse in policy formation on geriatric driving.  Policy Around Geriatric Driving Essay Discussion

In the world today, senior citizens are living longer, which means that they are also driving longer than ever witnessed before. According to Ortlieb (n.d.), there are approximately 45 million licensed drivers in the United States who are aged 65 years and above. Mainly, this is a 60% increase from the year 2000. By 2030, it is estimated that the population of older adults above 70 years will increase to 53 million (Ortlieb, n.d.). Mainly, this signifies an increase in geriatric driving. As people age, there is a concern about the potential effect on traffic safety. Policy Around Geriatric Driving Essay Discussion

From the image above, one can see that as one ages, there are certain age-related changes that a person experiences. They include vision, cognition, and physical ability changes. Vision affects driving since a decline in vision could affect one’s ability to read signs and road markings. Cognitive ability includes delayed reactions, trouble when maneuvering traffic conditions, and reduced responses to signals to a potential change of decline. Physical ability impacts driving as it could imply a decline in muscle or bone strength, which leads to a potential loss in the ability to control the vehicle.

78.2% of older adults drivers complain of seeing and reading signs when driving at night. 33.7% complain of difficulties in turning their head to look over their shoulder. 26.2% have reading and seeing signs challenges. 1.5% complains of inability in quickly turning the steering wheel and gauging what speed they are going with. Only 3.0% do not experience any of these symptoms.

The figure above shows a percent of vehicle drivers primarily responsible for accidents and faults. A majority of the accidents, where the driver is at fault, the drivers are 75 years and above, followed by people aged 18-21 and later those between 70-75. From this, one can see older adults are at risk of vehicle accidents and are often responsible for accidents.  Policy Around Geriatric Driving Essay Discussion

Aging often does not automatically signify loss of driving ability totally. There are certain things that one should do to continue driving safely. The recommended tips are:

Staying on top of your health- Mainly, this includes annual eye and vision appointments. Also it incorporates exercise and sufficient sleep.

Getting the right vehicle- For adults with arthritis and other muscle and joint problems, automatic transmission vehicles is better than manual ones.

Defensive driving- Older adults should learn defensive driving, which include leaving some space for the car in front for sufficient braking and ensuring there is consistent driving that aligns with the flow of traffic.

Knowing limitations- Mainly, this includes avoiding driving situations that could make one to feel uncomfortable.

Listening to the concerns of others- This includes listening to the concerns of others and evaluating the driving ability. It also entails constantly checking in with an occupational therapist who analyzes one’s prowess in driving.  Policy Around Geriatric Driving Essay Discussion

States have different rules for senior drivers. A driver’s license is often not revoked because a driver is turning a specific age. Nonetheless, it is worth noting that some states do have varying regulations for renewals of license for elderly drivers. Drivers aged 65-70 and older would require renewing their licenses, which could be in-person or electronically based on each state. Some requirements for renewal may include certain tests such as vision and road tests that are not a mandate for younger drivers.  Policy Around Geriatric Driving Essay Discussion