This presentation focuses on ethical issues that need to be addressed within the gerontological nursing curriculum for preparing nurses to become change agents and catalysts in the health care of the older population. Ethics and ethical principles are defined, and three ethical principles are discussed: justice; beneficence; and autonomy. State-of-the-art practices in entry-level and advanced-level preparation of gerontological nurses are identified, including types of programs, length of preparation, focus of preparation, primary work setting, and primary and secondary nursing roles. Ethical issues in the areas of nursing curriculum, nursing faculty, students, nursing practice, and problem-solving strategies are then addressed. The paper examines different approaches to patient care required in various settings, considers assessment skills and competencies of nursing students regarding the unique health needs of older adults, explores why nurse faculty are reluctant to teach content on aging, and analyzes student attitudes toward older adults. (JDD)