PURPOSE: To survey the present status of the gerontological nursing course at three year diploma programs, baccalaureate degree programs (BSN), and graduate programs in Korea, and to analyze the contents of the syllabus and gerontological nursing textbooks to provide the basic data in developing a standard model for gerontological nursing curriculum. METHOD: Data was collected from all the nursing programs in Korea from Nov. 2000 to Feb. 2001 by mail and fax. RESULT: The gerontological nursing courses has been offered 36 diploma program, 40 BSN, and 17 graduate programs. And the credits of the gerontological nursing course offered by the program were as follows : one credit (10 diploma and 8 BSN), two credits (22 diploma and 29 BSN), and three credits (1 BSN). The contents of curriculum were analyzed by comparing the core curriculum of NGNA. The majority of the schools included Gerontological Nursing in General, Theory of Aging, Aging Processes, Care Plan Options, and Common Health Problems. The subjects which very few school cover are Legal/ Ethical Issues, Evaluation, Regulatory & Reimbursement Issues, Education Issues, Nursing Research in Gerontology, and Environmental Issues of Older Adults. There were some differences in these results among diploma courses, BSNs, and graduate schools. The gerontological nursing textbooks contained similar contents to those of the diploma and the baccalaureate programs.

Issues related to the elderly have been recognized in Korea and nursing scholars have tried to study there issues. It is hard to say which the direction we, are going or have to go, since there has been little systemic effort to establish gerontological nursing field yet. Therefore, it is necessary to find out the trend and the guidelines of gerontolotical nursing studies for the future. Dissertation and published articles related to the elderly in the nursing field from 1991 to the February of 1997 were are reviewed. Total 127 studies were analysed in terms of concept, design/methodology, and results, and the nature and issues of the geronotologic nursing studies in Korea were explored. The results are as follows: 1. There was no clear chronological definition of the elderly. 2. The most popular research design was an exploratory/descriptive study. 3. The major concepts studies were physical and mental health. 4. Among those studies using instrument which were developed and modified and /or translated by researchers, the reliability and validity were rarely reported. 5. Theory based studies were rare. We suggest the following issues for future studies : 1. The chronological and other criteria related to the definition of elderly is needed. 2. Physiopsychosocial characteristics of Korean elderly and their managements in terms of intervention studies need to be conducted more synthetically. 3. Social issues from the change of types and function of family such as single elderly family need to be studied. 4. Participation in and collaborate with other disciplines are needed. 5 Development and test of instruments to measure phenomena or concepts is needed. 6. Macroscopic approach such as policy also needed. 7. Theory based studies are needed.