Program Overview

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Gerontology and Palliative Care – Interprofessional Practice Ontario College Graduate Certificate program

Program Description

This program is designed to assist Internationally Educated Nurses (IENs) to work as part of an inter-professional healthcare team in geriatric and palliative care settings. Students acquire the knowledge and expertise to enhance an individual’s quality of living and dying as part of an end of life process. To meet the individual needs of the client during this transitional phase of their life, students examine current theories and explore best practices to build skills in assessment, planning, intervention, and evaluation. Through a combination of classroom instruction and lab, students focus on the importance of communication, spirituality, ethics, law and culturally responsive nursing care for an aging or end-of-life population. Students will have an opportunity to consolidate their classroom learning with one practicum placement in a variety of settings that may include hospital, community, home care or long term care.

Intake Information

• Visit our tuition and fees page for detailed information on the cost to attend Georgian.
• You can afford this! Explore OSAP as well as awards, scholarships and bursaries to help you pay your way to graduation.

Work-Integrated Learning

• This program includes a clinical placement component where you’ll get clinical experience under the supervision of an experienced registered or licensed professional.
• Learn about types of work-integrated learning at Georgian.

Admission Requirements

Gerontology and Palliative Care – Interprofessional Practice Admission Requirements

• Ontario College Diploma, Ontario College Advanced Diploma, Degree, or equivalent in nursing

Selection Process

Preference will be given to applicants with the following:

• Post-secondary degree in nursing from an accredited nursing education program
• Current registration with the nursing regulatory body in their home province/state and or country (i.e. letter, membership card, etc.)

Additionally, priority will be given to students who have graduated from Georgian’s Complex Care Nursing for Internationally Educated Nurses program.

Language Proficiency Requirement

The English proficiency requirement can be met through:

• IELTS with an overall score of 6.5
• Other English language proficiency test options and further information can be found in Georgian’s English Language Proficiency policy 2.5 at:

Criminal Reference/Vulnerable Sector Check

Placement agencies require an up-to-date clear criminal reference check and vulnerable sector check prior to going out on placement. Students should obtain their criminal reference three months prior to placement; checks conducted earlier may not be considered current. As some jurisdictions require longer lead-time for processing, please check with the program coordinator to ensure you allow for sufficient turn-around time. It is the student’s responsibility to provide the completed document prior to placement start.

Career Opportunities

Graduates of this program are able to work within their scope of practice in the area of geriatric and palliative care and may find employment opportunities in acute care settings within general hospitals, specialized hospitals, long-term care, retirement homes, hospice, palliative care units, and clinics and/or community health services.

Course Information

Course Overview

• 11 Program Courses
• 1 Clinical Placement

Program-Specific Courses

Semester 1 courses are listed below. For a full list of courses in the program including course descriptions, view the Gerontology and Palliative Care – Interprofessional Practice program outline.

• GPCN 1000 – Introduction to Geriatrics and Gerontology
• GPCN 1002 – Pathophysiology of Aging
• GPCN 1003 – Legal and Ethical Issues Related to Aging
• GPCN 1004 – Special Topics in Geriatrics
• GPCN 1012 – Gerontology Integrated Seminar
• GPCN 1014 – Gerontology and Palliative Care Nursing Skills and Assessments

Course Delivery Method(s)

• In person: This program is delivered fully in person and requires you to attend campus.

Related Programs

• Biotechnology – Health
• Dental Hygiene
• Practical Nursing
• Pre-health Sciences Pathway to Advanced Diplomas and Degrees

Program Details

• Program code: GPCN
• Duration: 1 Year
• Credential: Ontario College Graduate Certificate
• Program Delivery: Full-time
• Program delivery method(s): In person

Placement Requirements

• In order to provide quality practicum placements (“Placements”), students are placed in a variety of agencies, largely in the region serviced by the campus. Students are required to provide their own transportation to Placements.
• Placements may vary in length (e.g. six to 12 hour days) and may include weekends and evenings, with varying start and end times (e.g. day, afternoon, overnight).
• Many programs, including Health and Wellness, have immunization, First Aid and CPR, criminal record screening and other non-academic requirements that need to be met prior to Placements starting. You are responsible for carefully reviewing and meeting these requirements. The failure to meet them may mean that the host agency may refuse to accept you for a Placement or, if you have started one, that you may be prevented from continuing. The result may be that you cannot complete your program. Program-specific requirements can be found on page 2 of the Clinical Preparedness Permit specific to your program.
• You are responsible for meeting all immunization, criminal screening and other requirements by the deadline provided by your program and before you start your Placement.

Notes regarding the Criminal Record Check (“CRC”) and Vulnerable Sector Screening (VSS)

• Individuals who have been charged or convicted criminally and not yet pardoned or who have outstanding entries on their CRC or VSS will be prohibited from proceeding to a Placement. Such a student will normally be counselled to withdraw from the program because the successful completion of a Placement is a program requirement.
• Obtaining the CRC and VSS usually requires a processing time of up to 12 weeks and can vary between police jurisdictions. As some jurisdictions require longer lead time for processing, ensure you allow for sufficient turn-around time. Record checks and screenings conducted earlier than six months may not be considered current and not be acceptable. Refer to your Clinical Preparedness Permit for information regarding this. A host agency may refuse a Placement if the CRC or VSS is not satisfactory to it. It is the student’s responsibility to provide the necessary completed documents prior to the start of a Placement at the designated check time, and in the format set by Georgian College and stated in the Clinical Preparedness Permit Information Package. More information can be found on the Placement Offices webpage.
• The costs associated with the provision of the CRC and VSS, anything related to them (including, if applicable, obtaining a pardon), and meeting any immunization and other Placement requirements, are to be borne by the student. The non-academic requirements of clinical agencies as described in the Clinical Preparedness Permit are subject to change at any time and host agencies may accept or decline students for any reason at their discretion. Georgian College is not responsible for any of the costs associated with the foregoing, nor for the consequences of failing to comply with, any of the requirements set out above.