Resources to help develop nurse leadership skills

With aged care facing stiff competition from other healthcare providers for nurses, you must provide a rewarding experience for your staff while building your total workforce capacity. 

Investing in leadership development and industry-relevant training can achieve this and more. By providing your nurses with high-quality training that prepares them for life in aged care, you are developing an experienced workforce committed to the care sector. And no matter the background, there are resources available to enhance the capabilities of any nurse.

Bridging the leadership gap

Sometimes, it’s not easy bridging the gap between nurses and nurse leaders. For some, the process is gradual as new opportunities come from tenure and experience. But plenty of nurses who aspire for more responsibilities do lack support and guidance. 

That’s why providing a framework and encouraging opportunities for career growth is critical. Fresh graduates and experienced nurses alike should have clear paths toward leadership roles. That’s where the Australian College of Nursing’s Institute of Leadership courses can complement your internal resources and expertise. 

Key learnings

• Students will learn how to identify their own leadership qualities, helping them to track and monitor progress throughout their course
• A greater understanding of contemporary healthcare and nursing environments, to support and strengthen their approach to management
• Insight into the development of nursing policy, clinical governance, research and education to assist in future workplace impact
• Wide-ranging skills will also be taught to enhance management ability in areas such as human resources, finance and health economics

What sets it apart

With five unique courses targeted at nurses of all experience levels, the Institute of Leadership offers something for everyone. It means nurses with more than six years of experience can take their careers to the next level, in the same way nurses already in management or executive roles can strengthen their abilities. Each online module is designed for leaders of all abilities so you can best support your staff in each and every step of their journey.

Continuing education for nurses

If you’re looking to support lifelong learning and help your nurses maintain their registration, the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Centre offers extensive educational resources for nurses. With nearly three-dozen courses relevant to aged care, and countless more that will benefit any nurse, the CPD Centre is a resource worth investing in.

CPD Centre courses cover a wide range of topics, including rehabilitation, mental health, aged care governance and pain management. The courses can be used in conjunction with on-site learning or as key pieces of learning when nurses need to update or enhance their abilities. Without these essential hours of learning, your nurses cannot take the steps they need to become leaders.

Key learnings

• With dozens of courses on offer, nurses can engage in topics to refresh their knowledge, gain new abilities, or broaden their horizons
• Leading courses for aged care nurses include those focused on the Aged Care Quality Standards to ensure your staff understand what they need to do to be compliant with Government legislation
• Courses supporting advanced knowledge of addiction management can provide nurses with invaluable skills for treating high-needs residents
• Extensive education is also available for rehabilitation to assist in the ongoing care and support of residents coming out of surgery or serious injury

What sets it apart

As a one-stop shop, the CPD Centre offers exceptional online content plus impactful face-to-face workshops. Spaces in the workshops are limited, but your nursing staff will benefit considerably from the guidance of experienced specialist nurse educators. Consider promoting the workshops for staff who are ready to expand their knowledge base.

Supporting aged care nursing newcomers

Before your nurses can become leaders, they need to be familiar with the industry. So if you’re working hard to attract new nurses and you haven’t tapped into the Aged Care Transition to Practice Programs, there’s no time to waste.

Aged Care Transition to Practice Programs are dynamic as they feature three unique courses targeted at nurses with varying degrees of experience: graduate Registered Nurses, graduate Enrolled Nurses and transitioning Registered Nurses. This enables providers to approach nurses at any stage of their career, as long as they haven’t worked in aged care before. 

Key learnings

• Nurses who are new to aged care will receive valuable guidance from experienced nurses to become more confident, safe and competent within the sector
• Participants will learn about aged care governance, the responsibilities of providers and clinical leadership
• Aged care specific topics also include infection prevention and control, dementia care, palliative care, falls management and prevention and malnutrition in older adults
• A focus on life in residential aged care also prepares nurses for unique challenges such as end-of-life care, quality of life and person-centred care

What sets it apart

Aged care providers play a crucial role in the programs as they’re responsible for interviewing and recruiting graduates who can take part: you can directly support nurses looking to establish themselves in aged care, or experienced nurses who are ready for a leadership role but don’t have industry-specific knowledge.

But don’t worry, the hard work is taken care of by the Aged and Community Care Providers Association (ACCPA) as they oversee the development and delivery of the program. Intake 3 commences on August 28, so you should hurry if you want to be involved.