Nursing student Marcus Goh says his understanding and appreciation of the residential aged care sector improved significantly as part of the federal government-funded Aged Care Nursing Clinical Placements Program.
Launched mid-2023, the national program has provided thousands of Bachelor of Nursing students with high-quality placements in aged care by giving them the opportunity to work side-by-side with specialist clinical facilitators. The goal is to raise student awareness of the complex skills required by nurses working in the sector and the rewarding career opportunities available.
The University of Canberra, in partnership with Curtin University, Edith Cowan University and the University of Wollongong, were among several organisations tasked with delivering the program across the country.
Registered nurse Stephanie Munk, Lead Program Manager of the Clinical Placement with Older People (CPOP) program at the University of Canberra, believes the initiative is helping shape the perception many nursing students hold about aged care and older people.
Unique to the CPOP program was the creation of an education program for Clinical Facilitators (CFs) that included training in gerontology, facilitation and mentoring which was based on the ADHERE Gerontological Nurse Competency (GNC) model. CPOP CFs also completed the CATSINaM Murra Mullangari Cultural Safety and Cultural Humility training course. CPOP supports students on placement wherever older people are – including residential aged care, community and acute settings.
“It’s been remarkably rewarding to hear from students who have reflected on what they think a gerontological RN does,” Stephanie says.
“Some of the comments have included – ‘Wow, I didn’t realise how complex the [responsibilities] were and I didn’t think that working with older people was in my future, but now I’m thinking differently’.”
Gina Casey, a resident of Jindalee Aged Care in Canberra, welcomed having students working across the facility.
“Traditionally, we’ve had a shortage of nurses,” she revealed in a video highlighting the program.
“Engaging them so they stay fresh, and in the industry, as opposed to just being left on their own, I think, is a really important part of this process.”
Clinical Liaison Nurse Eliza Stewart agreed, suggesting that students walk away from their placements with a whole new appreciation of what it is to be an aged care nurse.
“Aged care is relevant to all nurses and all nursing students,” she said.
“I think it’s really valuable for everyone to have a good understanding of what it is to be in the field of geriatric nursing, to develop an understanding of the complexity of care, and also the depth of knowledge that nurses who are in aged care residential or ward care require.”
Exposing student nurses to the often-complex care required in aged care remains a key part of the program. This can include managing catheters and stomas and supporting palliative care.
Looking ahead, the initial success of Commonwealth-funded Aged Care Clinical Placements Program is likely to see it continue and expand in coming years.
According to Kasia Bail, Professor of Gerontological Nursing, the program creates new opportunities for RNs to enter the sector in the early stages of their careers, supporting much-needed aged care reform.
“People, as they get older have been themselves for longer and so their choices and preferences and ways of living needs to be supported as they might develop complex and chronic illnesses. Nurses have got the skillsets and the knowledge about those different kind of complex comorbidities, dementia, delirium, cancers, different kinds of care needs.
“That’s what our nursing students need to be learning and be ready to provide as we go forward into the brave new world.”
