Unregulated workers making up shortfall in RNs, inquiry hears

Published 25th February 2019

The percentage of registered nurses in the aged care workforce is decreasing despite increasingly complex patient needs, the aged care royal commission has heard.

And there are concerns the shortfall is being filled by unregulated personal care workers with minimal training, the Australian College of Nursing says.

Chair of the college’s Ageing Policy Chapter, Professor Deborah Parker, told the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety last week that the percentage of registered nurses has dropped by more than 6 per cent since 2003.

This was resulting in enrolled nurses and personal care workers filling the shortfall, she said.

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Source:
Sandy Cheu, 2019, Australian Ageing Agenda (https://www.australianageingagenda.com.au/about/)