Strengthening Australia’s aged care workforce through upskilling nurses

The Australian College of Nursing (ACN) has successfully secured a third round of funding for the Aged Care Transition to Practice Program (ACTTP), continuing its efforts to upskill nurses for the aged care sector.

With participants and mentors from various states, territories and over 40 aged care organisations, ACN is leading the way in empowering nurses to become clinical and professional leaders in residential aged care.

These initiatives align with the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.

According to Adjunct Professor Kylie Ward FACN, CEO of ACN, a skilled nursing workforce significantly improves health outcomes and enhances the quality of life for older individuals in home, community, and residential aged care settings.

“ACN is working in partnership with the Government and the sector to protect the health, welfare, and dignity of all residents in RACFs,”  Ward said.

Ward emphasises the importance of having registered and qualified nurses present in residential aged care facilities 24/7, in line with the government’s commitment. ACN has long advocated for this requirement and is committed to attracting, developing and retaining skilled nurses to meet the growing demand for high-quality care.

Registered nurses play a critical role in aged care facilities by providing expert clinical governance, leadership, and oversight for other healthcare workers.

With a majority of the aged care workforce comprising enrolled nurses and unregulated healthcare workers, ACN aims to collaborate with aged care providers and the government to provide training and incentives to ensure a highly-qualified nursing workforce to meet both present and future needs.

ACN, being one of the three Commonwealth-funded providers of the ACTTP program, has been delivering the program since 2021. The ACTTP program offers a return on investment by reducing workforce costs related to staff retention, pressure injuries, falls, medication errors, emergency department visits, ambulance costs and hospital admissions.

Ritchelle Drilon

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Ritchelle is a Content Producer for Healthcare Channel, Australia’s premier resource of information for healthcare.

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