ACTU calls for two weeks paid leave for all workers forced to self-isolate due to coronavirus
The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) has called on the federal government to urgently legislate two weeks paid leave for all workers, including permanent, casual or part-time, forced to self-isolate as a result of the escalating coronavirus. Under the plan, workers would also be eligible for the guaranteed paid leave in the event they […]
More than half of Australian aged care facilities have ‘unacceptable’ staffing levels compared to US
Nearly 60% of Australian aged care facilities have poorer staffing levels compared to the USA’s guidelines for aged care practice, according to a researcher from the University of Wollongong. Anita Westera, Research Fellow with University of Wollongong’s Australian Health Services Research Institute, made the statement speaking on the role of staffing and skills mix in […]
ANMF calls for urgent increase in RNs working in aged care amid coronavirus outbreak
The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) has called for an urgent increase in the number registered nurses working in nursing homes to ensure the chronically understaffed aged care sector is fully equipped to protect vulnerable elderly residents in the event of a coronavirus outbreak. The waning that Australia’s nursing homes do not have sufficient […]
‘It’s sinister. It’s dodgy’: Ged Kearney slams federal government’s plan to privatise ACAT
Former ANMF Federal Secretary Ged Kearney has hit out at the federal government’s push to privatise funding assessments for aged care currently carried out by Aged Care Assessment Teams (ACAT) that include experienced registered nurses. The government revealed its plan to put the management of ACAT out to tender last December. ACAT is currently run […]
Taking an unfair advantage – breaching professional boundaries for personal gain
Mr Cox was a 92 year old man who lived alone and had no family. He did however, have good neighbours and a case manager from the Brotherhood of St Laurence and with their assistance he was able to remain in his own home despite some ill health. In July 2015 Mr Cox was admitted […]
Aged care workers too rushed to meet residents’ social and emotional needs
Aged care workers are so rushed and under pressure to provide basic physical care for the elderly that they have no time left to meet important social and emotional needs, a joint UNSW Sydney, Macquarie University and RMIT study has found. The research showed aged care workers have insufficient time to talk to and get […]
Nurse Practitioner Day – How NPs are making an impact in aged care
Tenacity, an inquiring mind and a commitment to making a difference in the lives of patients are some of the key attributes personified by nurse practitioners, says aged care NP Kaye Coates. “It’s being able to see the bigger picture, the whole person, not just going in to put a Band-Aid on a particular issue […]
Queensland legislates ratios in public aged care homes
The Queensland government has legislated minimum nurse-to-resident ratios across its 16 state-run public aged care homes, delivering on its promise to ensure elderly residents receive the care they need and deserve. Passed in Parliament yesterday, the Health Transparency Bill 2019 will make it mandatory for Queensland’s state-run residential aged care facilities (RACF) to provide a […]
ANMF call to action: aged care can no longer wait
The ANMF has issued a call to action to nurses and midwives following the Aged Care Royal Commission’s scathing interim report released late last week. The explosive report which described Australia’s aged care system as “shameful” and “woefully inadequate” came as no surprise to the union which is ramping up its campaign for safer staffing […]
Sarah Holland-Batt: ‘My Father’s Story in Aged Care’
Australia’s deteriorating aged care sector cannot wait until the findings of the Aged Care Royal Commission are handed down in November next year and urgently needs mandated ratios to address its chronic understaffing issues as well as greater transparency to ensure billions in government funding is tied to care. That was the powerful message from […]