Australia is entering a defining period for a field of nursing underpinned by connection and complexity – aged care.
Demand has risen faster than the workforce can keep up, with more than half a million workers already in the system and pressure increasing as the population ages.
Treasury forecasts indicate one in five Australians will be over 65 within the next decade, with increases expected to accelerate as baby boomers move into older age.
So far, workforce growth in aged care has not kept pace.
The Australian Government estimates that by 2035, the sector could face a shortfall of almost 18,000 full-time equivalent nurses if current trends continue – a gap most visible in residential and community aged care.
However, recent reforms signal a shift in how the sector is valued and structured.
Following the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, registered nurses are now required to be on-site in residential aged care homes 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Minimum care time standards have also been introduced, including requirements for registered nurses to spend 44 minutes per resident per day.
Aside from the obvious benefits, these changes allow aged-care nurses to build meaningful connections with the residents they support, helping to deliver better health and wellbeing outcomes.
Wage increases and further investment are also being rolled out, alongside stronger expectations around clinical governance and accountability.
Together, these changes reflect a broader recognition that aged care is an environment requiring skilled, specialised and compassionate practitioners.
Gerontological nursing has long been under-recognised, despite involving some of the most complex – yet rewarding – work in the profession.
This complexity was again highlighted through the Aged Care Royal Commission.
In Australia, about 80 percent of people aged 85 and over live with two or more chronic conditions.
This level of multimorbidity means nurses are rarely treating a single issue.
Instead, they balance overlapping conditions such as dementia, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and frailty, where symptoms interact and treatments can conflict.
Understanding how these conditions manifest often relies on close, ongoing personal connections with those in care – something many practitioners find a defining and rewarding aspect of aged-care nursing.
This complexity also creates a level of clinical uncertainty not always seen in acute care.
Nurses must constantly weigh risk, adjust care plans and respond to changing priorities, particularly as older people move between hospital, home and residential care.
The work extends beyond physical health to include cognitive decline, mental health, communication with families and end-of-life care.
It requires a broad and highly developed skill set, with a strong focus on person-centred care.
This complexity and personal connection have shaped the development of our gerontological nursing programs, which are built around nationally informed competency frameworks, aligning education with the realities of practice.
For eligible registered nurses, these programs are fully funded as part of the Commonwealth Government’s investment in the sector, removing cost as a barrier to upskilling in a high-need area.
Core areas we focus on include dementia and delirium management, palliative care, mental health, clinical decision-making and risk management.
We emphasise applied capability rather than abstract knowledge, with learning embedded in the workplace.
This gives students the opportunity to build meaningful connections with residents while developing the skills needed to deliver high-quality, person-centred care.
Students are supported by structured mentoring from experienced clinicians and assessed through portfolio-based evidence of practice.
Evaluations of these programs have shown improvements in participants’ clinical competence, confidence and leadership capability.
Importantly, one of the most consistent feedback themes we receive from students is the value of building connections with the people they support.
These relationships are central to how care is delivered and how practitioners experience their work, contributing to improved health, wellbeing and job satisfaction.
The programs also reflect the need for clear career pathways in aged care.
Structured progression from foundational practice through to advanced and leadership roles is a central feature, alongside preparation for roles in education, research and clinical consultancy.
This aligns with a broader national effort to professionalise the field, supported by emerging networks and alliances that provide ongoing development, mentoring and advocacy.
The opportunities for personal and professional growth in the aged-care sector are enormous, with Australia experiencing a fundamental shift in how we understand and deliver person-centred care in complex and rapidly evolving environments.
If you’ve ever considered upskilling or specialising, now is the time.
