Page 1144 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 3 May 2006
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Unfortunately, I have heard horrific stories of residents who do not receive appropriate, sensitive or dignified care. I heard one story from a relative of a resident of a Canberra nursing home who told me that their loved one suffered a very serious fracture when she fell off the toilet that she had been sitting on for three-quarters of an hour. Because the centre was so understaffed, no-one was available to help her off the toilet. Finally she attempted to get off herself, with disastrous results. That woman is obviously now even less mobile then she was before, placing even greater strain on the staff of the nursing home. If there had been enough staff on duty in the first place the incident perhaps would have never happened, and the strain of this woman’s greater care needs could have been avoided. The added strain on the woman’s physical and mental health and on her family would also have been avoided.
The 2005 Senate Community Affairs References Committee reported it had heard evidence that indicated there has been little improvement in the situation. Nurses are still leaving the aged care sector in droves. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has reported that between 1996 and 2001 there was an 11.1 per cent decline in the number of registered and enrolled nurses working in the aged care sector. Furthermore, evidence heard by both the 2002 Senate committee and the 2005 Senate committee stated that, while levels of enrolled and registered nurses were dropping off, there was a rise in the number of personal carers employed. Of course, I would never in any way devalue the important work that these carers carry out.
It is important to remember that, while nursing levels are dropping off, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has reported rising levels of acuity in residents. Residents of nursing homes need more and more intensive care. As I was saying, it appears that there is not enough qualified staff currently employed in the sector to undertake this care. This can only lead to a further increase in acuity and this will put residents back into our hospitals, with obvious pressures on our hospital system.
The National Institute of Labour Studies reported in 2004 that there were a high number of vacancies for registered nurses in aged care facilities and a high level of turnover of direct care staff. A high level of turnover of staff obviously affects the care that residents receive. It is understandable that, if there is a constantly changing work force, residents are not able to develop relationships with their nurses, and anyone who knows anything about care knows how important it is to develop rapport with those that one is caring for. Good relationships are vital to good health outcomes. As residents get to know their care staff better, they are better able to articulate and communicate with the staff. Conversely, when care staff get to know their residents better, they are better able to read the signs and signals that they give out and are able to offer better care to those residents.
Residents of at least one Canberra aged care facility have reported to me how stressful they find this constant merry-go-round of staff. They also report the difficulties they experience communicating their needs to agency relief staff from other nations who may not have a thorough understanding of the English language or the cultural expectations of Australians. Whilst it is important that we have a healthy migration of skilled workers to Australia—which benefits all of us, I think you would agree—unfortunately, as one ages, one may find it more and more difficult to communicate. Attempting to communicate to carers from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds can be very stressful for those who are frail aged or confused.
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