Australia is currently in the grip of a severe nurse shortage crisis in the aged care industry which is projected to worsen. The urgency of this shortfall and the need for immediate action cannot be overstated.
Thanks to the Sydney Morning Herald and Aged Care Insite, we explore what is behind the shortfall of nurses and how it can addressed.

What is the state of play?

While 50,232 nurses are currently working in aged care in Australia, this is not enough to meet demand. To meet current demand, it is estimated more than 5,000 extra nurses are needed.
Unfortunately, this trend won’t improve anytime soon, with staffing pressures only expected to worsen. It is estimated that an additional 13,000 aged-care nurses will be required by 2030.
Rural and regional aged care facilities face particular difficulties in attracting and retaining staff. In some areas, it can take at least six months to find a registered nurse.

Source: Sydney Morning Herald

What are the effects of the shortage?

The Federal Government has introduced new requirements of 44 minutes of care per aged care resident per day, which are due to come into effect on 1 October 2024. Without extra staff, many aged care facilities are unlikely to meet the requirement. In addition, many facilities are also struggling to meet the government’s requirement to have registered nurses on duty 24/7 at aged care facilities. Only 40 percent of aged care facilities are currently meeting targets. A shortage of nurses is also slowing the building of new aged-care facilities. Despite significant demand for aged care beds, some providers have dropped plans to add more beds. The nursing federation backs care minute targets but does acknowledge the fact that it adds to staffing pressure targets.

What can be done to address it?

Addressing current shortages will require more foreign nurses to enter the country. This process should be streamlined.

However, the industry cannot rely on migrants alone.

One promising strategy to tackle this issue is to enhance the training of nurses within the country. Advocates argue that this could significantly increase the pool of skilled professionals in the aged care industry.

Staff retention is a significant issue in the aged care industry. It’s crucial that we address the significant number of nurses leaving the aged care industry each year. One effective strategy is to provide incentives that encourage them to stay. This could include improving pay and conditions and making the profession more attractive and rewarding.

At present, aged care facilities are competing with other healthcare providers to attract and retain quality nursing staff. At present, hospitals often provide greater pay and incentives to nurses than aged care facilities. Therefore, paying nurses working in aged care the same as those who work in other healthcare professions would significantly assist in addressing staffing pressures.

There should also be incentives for nurses to take up positions in regional areas, such as tax breaks. In some cases, innovative solutions will be required. For example, for some rural facilities, a fly-in fly-out workforce may be the only way to meet requirements.

With endless opportunities available, if you are considering a career as an aged-care nurse, now could be the perfect time to make a move.

Are you a Registered Nurse? Working in aged care can provide a highly satisfying and rewarding career. Aged Care Resumes is pleased to offer tailored support for registered nurses. We are pleased to offer various services including a resume and cover letter writing service.

Crowe, D (1 September 2024) ‘A knife fight for staff’: Nurse shortage threatens aged care fix’, Sydney Morning Herald, accessed 2 October 2024.

Jamal, A (1 September 2024) ‘Aged Care Sector Failing to Find Nurses’, Aged Care Insite, accessed 2 October 2024.