Current role challenges in New Zealand aged residential care: the potential consequences for healthcare assistant role expansion

Background: Challenges facing healthcare assistants in aged residential care are a focus of global debate. These challenges involve remuneration, education, skill mix, work conditions and organisational structures. Objectives/Aims: We enter the discussion by acknowledging current work, education and...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Contemporary nurse : a journal for the Australian nursing profession 2016-04, Vol.52 (2-3), p.140-151
Main Authors: Shannon, Kay, McKenzie-Green, Barbara
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aged
aged care
Allied Health Personnel - standards
Geriatric Nursing - standards
healthcare assistant
Homes for the Aged - organization & administration
Humans
New Zealand
Nurse's Role
Nursing
nursing homes
Nursing Homes - organization & administration
older people
scope of practice
skill mix
workforce
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Background: Challenges facing healthcare assistants in aged residential care are a focus of global debate. These challenges involve remuneration, education, skill mix, work conditions and organisational structures. Objectives/Aims: We enter the discussion by acknowledging current work, education and remuneration for healthcare assistants. We then consider the supervisory relationships between registered nurses (RNs), enrolled nurses (ENs) and healthcare assistants, educational levels for RNs, ENs and healthcare assistants, and the interplay between organisation and practice in aged residential care. We suggest that improving work for the healthcare assistant has the potential to lead change in all role levels.Design: Discussion paper. Conclusions/Implications for practice: We argue that adjustments to work structures, education and skill advancement of RNs, ENs and healthcare assistants could improve staff working conditions and clarify practice boundaries. The ultimate result is likely to be an improvement to quality of care and the life of residents in aged residential care.
ISSN:1037-6178
1839-3535
DOI:10.1080/10376178.2016.1221322