Clarification on Recent Washington Post Article
You may have seen the recent Washington Post article titled “Nurse practitioners step in as geriatrician ranks shrink” (June 15, 2025). While the piece shed light on a critical issue—the growing shortage of geriatric care providers—it unfortunately misrepresented the scope and depth of gerontological expertise among nurse practitioners.
In response, the Gerontology Nursing Certification Commission (GNCC) submitted a formal letter to the editor to address these inaccuracies. The letter, authored by GNCC leadership Dr. Susan Mullaney and Dr. Marianne Shaughnessy, offers data-driven clarification on the number of board-certified gerontological NPs and emphasizes the importance of certified specialization in delivering high-quality care to older adults.
We invite you to read the full GNCC response, linked below, which outlines the key facts and distinctions that were missing from the original article. Please feel free to share it with colleagues and others in your network.
GAPNA remains committed to advancing accurate public understanding of the gerontological APRN workforce and the role certified gerontological specialists play in improving care for older adults.
View the letter here. https://www.gapna.org/washingtonpostletter