The aged care sector in Australia is undergoing a transformation due to the implementation of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety. These reforms are meant to increase the quality of care, staffing and make the systems more open for the elderly Australians. For nurses, these changes bring significant opportunities—and challenges—across the board. Whether you are currently employed in an aged care facility or are interested in entering into this growing sector, it is important that you learn how these reforms may affect your nursing profession.
Another area of concern of the reforms is the provision of staffing ratios that are now mandatory to guarantee adequate care to the residents. This means increased staffing of registered nurses in the facilities and better conditions of employment for care employees. There is also an improvement in training and professional development of the aged care workers, including nurses.
At the moment there is a new Aged Care Act in the pipeline that is expected to replace the current legislation. This is to empower older Australians to have more control on their care, increase accountability and raise the standards of care.
To facilitate these changes the Australian Government has pledged billions in additional funding to enhance the services, facilities and the quality of care provided in aged care homes.
The reforms also targets home care, by increasing home care packages to enable more elderly Australians to access home care services rather than having to go to residential aged care homes.
Aged care reforms aim to promote the culture of person-centred care, which means that the person’s rights and choices are respected. This also includes improving standards in dementia care and palliative care.
Changes in Australia's aged care industry can affect nursing professions and the profession of nursing in the aged care field. Here's how these changes could shape your nursing career:
Due to the reforms that have made the staffing ratios more stringent, there will be increased employment of the registered nurses (RNs) and enrolled nurses (ENs) in the aged care facilities. This could lead to more employment of nurses and security in their employment especially in rural or areas that lack adequate aged care services.
The reforms call for increased professionalism and qualification of human resource in leadership positions. This opens up avenues for career progression within the aged care for nurses aspiring to be managers for instance, the Nurse Unit Manager (NUM) or Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) within the aged care facilities. These leadership roles entail more work, higher pay, and the ability to improve care quality in the organisation.
Reform in aged care also points to the need of nurses with post basic education training in special areas such as dementia care, palliative care and gerontology. For the nurses who have a desire to work in the aged care sector, there are more avenues for further training and certification which means career mobility and the capacity to offer specialised care in these important areas.
With the change of focus in aged care to person-centred care, the nurses will have to develop their communication, assessment and interpersonal skills. This approach not only improves the quality of the care delivered to the patients but also enables the nurses to have more personal interactions with the residents adding more satisfaction to the job. It is possible to find a job as an Aged Care Coordinator or Clinical Care Manager if you focus on this type of care.
Since the reforms are demanding high standards of staffing and care, the continuing education will be essential. Nurses in aged care will require to update their knowledge on the changes that occur in legislation, patient care delivery and new technologies in the health sector. Continuing professional development will make sure that the nurses are compliant and relevant in the current market while at the same time promoting their careers.
These changes present a way through which those with interest in the healthcare sector can engage in policy development and advocacy. The above reforms can be implemented by nurses who have worked in aged care or they can participate in future policy making which can lead to employment in health care management or aged care administration.
Since aged care facilities need to meet enhanced staffing ratios and care standards, nurses should be prepared to find a favourable environment where workloads can be controlled and the amount of support provided is higher. This can result in an improved satisfaction level among the workers, thus lower rate of burnout and increased likelihood that the nurses will continue to work in the aged care industry.
With the growing focus on home care packages, nurses are now seeing more opportunities to work in community and home settings. The nurses are now getting more opportunities to work in the community and home care sector. This change also provides more opportunities for the nurses in their working profession, for example, the position of Community Nurse or Aged Care Home Care Nurse. These roles also often have a better work life balance than the traditional hospital based roles.
There are numerous ongoing changes that are currently being implemented in the aged care sector in Australia and these changes are promising to transform the sector in the future and these changes are both opportunities and challenges to nurses. The changes in staffing ratios, funding and the adoption of person centred care will create more employment opportunities, advancement, and requirement of skills. The nurses will discover new opportunities for career advancement in terms of leadership, training, or satisfaction with better working conditions.
HealthcareLink,Australia's topnotch online platform that helps match medical doctors, nurses, allied Health, and dental professionals to employers is here to help the nurses navigate through these changes. In this way, through the availability of the job search for nurses in the aged care sector, the access to the relevant and essential CPD materials, and the career guidance, HealthcareLink supports the nurses in the context of the changing environment. Whether looking for new nursing positions building up the expertise or updating on the sector changes, HealthcareLink is an essential player in managing the reforms and establishing the sustainable career in aged care.
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