of care for older adults: essential knowledge domains, essential nursing actions, and learn-ing environment.
The NLN ACES framework’s essential knowledge domains (individualized aging, complexity of care, and vulnerability during transitions) may be unfamiliar to nurse clini-cians, educators, and researchers. Although these basic concepts are commonly found in the health sciences literature, their precise definitions and descriptions within the NLN ACES framework are unique. Explication of these concepts will advance the use of the ACES framework, improve gerontological nursing education, and facilitate the design of research aimed at improving the quality of care for older adults.
Individualized aging is a concept not currently used or defined in the literature. However, it is well established that high quality care must be individualized so that each patient receives treatments appropriate to his or her needs and desires, based on the best available evidence to ensure optimal outcomes. Individualized aging synthesizes concepts of individualization of care as well as biological and social theories related to the aging process. By using concept analysis, this article will define and clarify the NLN ACES framework essential knowledge domain con-cept of individualized aging.