Tas project to attract nurses to career in aged care

A University of Tasmania research project has found nurses can be attracted to a career in aged care.

About three-quarters of nurses in the aged care sector are approaching retirement, so recruitment is imperative. However, despite the best intentions of nursing homes, students were not having good practical experiences, with only half nurses undergoing traditional training and placement thinking of working in aged care after graduating.

With support from a nursing home and the Commonwealth, the University tested an approach where students were teamed with mentors for the duration of their practical placement.

They held weekly meetings and established a feedback loop between the students and mentors. With the new structured approach, more than 90% of students thought they might like to work in aged care after completing their training.

The study, involving over 200 students, ran in three stages over five years between 2002 and 2006, and is reportedly the longest-running of its type in the world. Following its success, the Commonwealth funded the Tasmanian research team to examine aged care and student experiences in WA, Qld and SA.