workforce
Meeting the need
Student nurses are leading the way in aged-care placements
By Arshmah Jamal
The Australian Primary Heath Care Nurses Association ( APNA ) has stationed its first 76 student nurses in aged-care homes to complete their clinical placements .
The students are part of a new Commonwealth-funded aged-care placement program , where eventually , the residential aged-care sector will recruit the nurses .
The program launched in June and aimed to place around 1,800 second- and third-year nursing students in aged care , with the aim of placing around 140 students in the first month .
APNA president Karen Booth said , “ Providing a pathway for nurses , especially new graduates , into aged care is a much better and more sustainable option than recruiting from overseas .”
APNA launched the program to address recommendations made by the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety . It will ultimately support the new 24 / 7 nurse mandate .
“ We need a sustainable pipeline of qualified registered aged-care nurses now to meet the health care needs of the future . APNA ’ s program provides that pathway ,” Ms Booth said .
The Department of Health and Aged Care predicted a nursing shortfall of about 8,100 in residential aged-care facilities between 2023-24 . The sector needs an additional 14,000 nurses to meet the 24 / 7 requirement .
The program has a number of key features to ensure the placements are successful , including supervision from an APNA registered nurse , support to help the students gain higher-level skills , the mapping of curriculum learning outcomes onto the placements , and exposing students to a broader scope of career opportunities .
“ Great residential aged care needs great aged-care nurses ,” Ms Booth said . “ That starts with giving nursing students a positive aged care placement during their studies .” ■
ACN chief Kylie Ward says the new funding is vital Image : Supplied
Most qualified
Funding boost to pave the way for aged-care nurses
By Arshmah Jamal
The Australian College of Nursing ( ACN ) has received a funding boost to help train and upskill more nurses to work in the aged-care sector .
Under new rules implemented at the start of July , aged-care facilities must roster at least one registered nurse ( RN ) on-site and on duty 24 / 7 .
From October , adjustments to the care minutes given to residents will increase to 215 minutes , including 44 RN minutes .
ACN chief Kylie Ward said the funding was vital to upskill RNs in alignment with the recommendations .
“ Nurses are the most qualified permanent on-site health professionals in residential aged-care facilities ,” Ms Ward said .
“ We need to get more nurses into the system to meet the growing demand for high-quality care .”
According to a report by the National Aged Care Workforce Census and Survey ( NACWCS ), the aged-care sector comprises nearly a quarter of a million people in Australia .
Despite this , there are currently nationwide shortages of trained registered nurses , with regional and remote areas experiencing shortages of up to 60 per cent .
“ We need to get
more nurses into the system to meet the growing demand for high-quality care
Since the 24 / 7 nurse mandate came in on July 1 , several rural and regional aged care homes have been forced to shut down due to a lack of nurses available . “[ The nurse shortage ] will not be recoverable within days , weeks , months . It ’ s not one simple solution ; we need time ,”
Ms Ward told Sky News . “ Regional and rural nurses deserve to be paid at the highest level , and we need to pay them properly to employ and retain them .”
The new ACN funding contributes to the Aged Care Transition to Practice Program ( ACTTP ), a government scheme created to allow
RNs to transition smoothly into the aged-care industry .
“ ACN has for many years advocated for registered nurses to be always on duty and available in aged care ,” Ms Ward told Aged Care Insite .
“ We will strive collaboratively with aged-care providers and the government to provide training and develop further incentives to ensure the aged-care sector has a highly qualified nursing workforce pipeline to meet current and future needs .”. ■
agedcareinsite . com . au 27