Aged Care
Hope on the horizon for aged care staffing ratios
The NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NSWNMA) has welcomed the federal Opposition’s pre-election pledge to begin addressing the aged care crisis by introducing staffing ratios, ensuring a registered nurse is onsite 24/7 and supporting a long overdue pay rise for aged care workers.
NSWNMA General Secretary, Brett Holmes, said the announcement had given aged care members across the state a substantial lift after many years of highlighting issues in the sector.
“This is the first time a major political party has committed to mandate the ratios we need in aged care to keep our residents safe and reform a sector that’s been neglected for far too long,” said Mr Holmes.
“If elected, these commitments will play a significant role in addressing key findings of the aged care royal commission, as well as restoring confidence the in sector, its workforce and importantly, residents and their families.
“Ensuring there’s a registered nurse in every aged care facility for 24 hours a day will be an enormous benefit to the level of clinical nursing care that’s provided, help to address some of the skill mix issues and reduce the flow-on pressure on the public health system.”
NSWNMA Assistant General Secretary, Shaye Candish, said the Opposition’s pledge offered a sense of dignity and respect to all aged care nurses and the residents in their care.
“For many years, our aged care members have been let down by governments unwilling to tackle the issues across the sector. It’s government inaction that has prompted the crisis aged care is in today,” Ms Candish said.
“Aged care nursing is physically and emotionally hard. The conditions are so tough that staff find it too difficult to stay. The pandemic exacerbated existing problems and it’s become far worse.
“These commitments will give reason for aged care nurses to keep going and also offer a sense of hope to nursing students to consider working in the sector given the growing demand of our ageing population.”
NSWNMA Councillor and aged care registered nurse, Jocelyn Hofman, welcomed the Opposition’s pledge and said she was elated after more than 20 years of advocating for staffing ratios and better pay.
“I’m beyond words because I know just how much of a difference having all of these promises will make to aged care workers, our residents and our communities. We have been fighting hard for this to come to fruition and I’m excited to have some renewed hope,” said Ms Hofman.
NSWNMA delegate and aged care Assistant in Nursing, Linda Hardman, said she was filled with emotion because of how significant the promises were after many years of campaigning.
“Finally, we’ve got our hope back because someone has actually listened and mapped out a way to restore the dignity and respect aged care really deserves. We give our best to our jobs and the residents in our care, but the sector has been ignored for too long. Having staffing ratios would make an enormous difference and we’re stoked it’s now a possibility,” Ms Hardman said.
The NSWNMA confirmed it would continue campaigning to ensure all aged care promises are delivered.
Mark Quealy says
Seventeen years ago, I worked as a Wound Care Nurse in an aged care facility for a short, six months duration. While I loved the interactions with our senior community in their home and the short walk to the facility from my home, I was constantly worried about not carrying out my duties in line with my professional obligations due to time constraints. I felt the residents deserved better care from me. I regularly cut corners, particularly in infection control, in order to attend to the very needy wounds of the more than 100 residents during my five-hour shift. Prioritising was such a difficult decision & usually came at the expense of residents with passive family members. Five hours was a long time to wait for a dressing following a shower by a care worker.
There was very little education available in the facility. It was often like a war zone rather than a home at times. I never found the time to document progressive or regressive changes in wound condition. I can’t remember ever taking a tea break and I often worked unpaid overtime as there was no-one to hand over to. In the end I had to make the call and resign my position & begin working in a public hospital. It never ceases to amaze me how many aged care nurses continue to put in such extreme efforts. I’m uncomfortable that many of these nurses receive 40% less pay than myself. Having the responsibility of guiding and managing so many unregistered (and equally amazing) care workers is a huge risk to a nurses’ registration & continued employment. Yet so many nurses take on this role and do such a wonderful job. I recently saw this incredible dedication first-hand for my recently deceased mother.
An article in ‘The Lamp’ over three years ago estimated the care given as 170 minutes per day with an ideal of 258 minutes (90-minute shortfall & often 1 care worker per 16 residents). This latest offer by Federal Labor of 215 minutes gets us half-way there (43-minute shortfall). Together with the response to nutrition, Labor’s plan will remarkedly improve care for residents. Maybe 1 care worker per 10 residents could be achieved at a guess. However, it is glaringly obvious to me that the promise of 1 registered nurse per facility over an entire 24 hours will make little difference in a 150-bed facility for example.
I still believe that the Ratios campaign should focus on more Registered Nurse & Enrolled Nurse employment in these aged care facilities rather that 215 minutes of unregistered care per patient over a 1,440-minute day.
I applaud the work Jocelyn Hofman & Annie Butler and all those other fearless unionists have done to achieve these latest promises by the Federal Opposition party. Well done Labor for responding to our union campaigners & the Royal Commission into Aged Care, but I do feel that our elders deserve even more.
Thanks
Mark Quealy