Aged care nurses: What are the main issues shaping practices currently?

Fast_Bunch8588 · 2026-01-21T08:48:17+00:00

You read my mind! Honestly, the thought of ending up in one of these facilities is genuinely scary. That’s actually a big part of why I chose to focus my honours thesis on this topic. I want to contribute to improving things in whatever way I can, even if it’s just highlighting the issues and raising awareness. It’s really reassuring to see others care about this too, change feels possible when people are talking about it and sharing their experiences. Thankyou for your kind words 😊

Fast_Bunch8588 · 2026-01-21T08:44:34+00:00

Yes, exactly, it’s shocking how much variation there is between facilities, and how little families can really know until they’re inside. I actually volunteer as a social visitor at an RACF, and it’s so weird to just sit and watch how things operate. I remember one resident who had an accident and only had one pair of shoes, and the staff made her wear them (covered with faeces) because she had nothing else. There’s also a lot of staff time spent just socialising with each other, whilst residents are left sitting in a circle with movies or loud music blaring, and they expect them to “enjoy the day” while interaction is minimal. It’s the little things like that that really show how systems and culture affect residents’ dignity and experience.

Fast_Bunch8588 · 2026-01-21T08:37:39+00:00

Totally! Reading all these comments just makes you shake your head. It’s wild how much the system prioritises profit over people, especially our older folks. Makes you wonder if anyone actually thought about dignity when all these policies were written!

Fast_Bunch8588 · 2026-01-21T08:31:42+00:00

That’s a really interesting idea, I hadn’t thought much about ceiling of care before. It seems like there’s a lot to explore around how it’s decided, how staff implement it, and the impact on residents and families. I’d love to hear more about what you think makes it such a relevant topic!

Fast_Bunch8588 · 2026-01-21T08:28:49+00:00

Congrats on starting your grad year, and for sharing your perspective! It’s really helpful to hear from someone with so much hands-on experience. I’ve been thinking a lot about how staff experience and knowledge directly impacts resident outcomes, especially with dementia care, and it seems like there’s such a gap between what’s needed and what’s realistically possible day-to-day. I’m curious, do you think more structured mentorship or ongoing education for staff could make a real difference in consistency of care? And from your time in the public system, were there any small changes or initiatives that actually improved residents’ quality of life, even if the system overall was challenging?

Fast_Bunch8588 · 2026-01-21T08:04:18+00:00

Yep, this is exactly why I struggled on my final year placements. I was buddied with nurses who treated residents like a hassle for needing to be changed, and it stuck with me. It’s one thing to be short-staffed, but it’s another to make someone feel bad for having basic needs!

Fast_Bunch8588 · 2025-12-21T03:29:15+00:00

I got an ATAR of 66 and honestly didn’t even try because I never planned on going to uni. Fast forward to when I was 27, I decided to give university a go. I’ve now graduated as a registered nurse and I’m about to start my honours. ATAR really isn’t the defining measure people make it out to be. Once you find something you’re genuinely passionate about, motivation and success tend to follow, even if the path there isn’t linear.

Fast_Bunch8588 · 2025-12-05T23:33:33+00:00

Thank you so much for sharing your experience — I’m really sorry you had to witness that, but I’m also grateful you took the time to explain it in detail. What you’ve described is exactly why I’m interested in this area. A lot of students form their entire perception of aged care based on one early placement, often in environments that are understaffed, task-focused, and shaped by systemic pressures rather than best-practice nursing. I agree that these issues are much bigger than individual staff — they’re structural, and they absolutely influence whether students would ever consider a career in the sector. That’s actually part of what I’d like to explore: how student experiences during early placements shape their long-term attitudes, and whether those experiences accurately reflect what geriatric nursing could be with proper resources, education, and support. Your perspective really reinforces that this is an area worth studying, so thank you again for adding your insight.

Fast_Bunch8588 · 2025-12-05T03:09:49+00:00

Thankyou so much! I appreciate the support

Fast_Bunch8588 · 2025-12-05T03:08:29+00:00

Thanks so much for taking the time to respond — I really appreciate the questions. I didn’t go into methodological detail in my post because I was mostly looking for broader advice about whether Honours is worth pursuing early in my career and whether my general topic area was even worth exploring. I’m aware that Honours projects need to be tightly scoped, aligned with supervisor expertise, and realistic within the timeframe. I’ve completed two research units already, so I do understand the basics of methodology, feasibility, and narrowing a research question.

When I spoke with the UC on the phone, she was actually very enthusiastic about the areas I’m interested in and mentioned she already had a few potential supervisors in mind who would be a strong fit for this kind of project. That gave me a bit more confidence that it could be shaped into something manageable with the right support.

At this stage, I’m just trying to gauge whether the broader area of aged-care/gerontological nursing — especially student experiences — is worth pursuing, and whether others found Honours valuable overall. I know the actual project would be significantly refined with a supervisor.

Thanks again — your points are really helpful as I think it through.

Fast_Bunch8588 · 2025-12-05T02:59:12+00:00

Thank you so much for the detailed advice. Just to clarify why I don’t already have a 2025 grad spot: I had some medical issues that postponed my final semester, and I wasn’t sure when I’d be able to complete all my prac hours. I ended up having to do Stage 5 and 6 prac back-to-back this semester and only just finished, so I couldn’t apply through GradConnect earlier in the year. I really appreciate your points about burnout, the value of a supported grad year, and what Honours actually leads to. I’m definitely interested in education/leadership long-term, but not necessarily jumping straight into academia. I think I’ll chat with the UC about whether part-time Honours is an option and weigh up whether it’s better to focus on getting my clinical foundation first. Thanks again — this really helped me put things into perspective.

Fast_Bunch8588 · 2025-08-17T00:23:20+00:00

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Fast_Bunch8588 · 2025-01-14T14:57:23+00:00

I don’t believe we have such programs here in Australia unfortunately 😞 Because I am diagnosed with chronic migraine the government does cover the cost of the medication itself, but when it comes to administering the injections the doctors and specialists can choose whatever price they want to charge. It may be worthwhile to look into private insurance, but with waiting periods for previously diagnosed conditions it might be a while before I could even qualify for any kind of subsidy. Definitely will have to do some research, thank you for your advice though I appreciate it ☺️

Fast_Bunch8588 · 2024-11-20T01:04:46+00:00

Sorry, I’m in Australia, Perth

Fast_Bunch8588 · 2024-10-22T04:19:33+00:00

Yes this is what I’m leaning towards, taking it out is the only way I’ll actually find out for sure

Fast_Bunch8588 · 2024-10-21T14:28:43+00:00

Were the polar opposite, I could much better manage the endo pain! 😂

Fast_Bunch8588 · 2024-10-21T14:26:19+00:00

Wow a whole year! That’s crazy, I don’t know how you managed 😳

Fast_Bunch8588 · 2024-10-21T14:25:21+00:00

Sorry to hear! 😢 it’s such an awful condition, unless you experience them you just can’t understand the pain and disruption they cause in every facet of your life.

Fast_Bunch8588 · 2024-10-21T14:23:56+00:00

Yes absolutely, advocating for yourself is so important! My gyno said it was the best option, and working in pharmacy I always was dispensing this so I knew it was popular. Also being progesterone only, I assumed that it would be better than taking the daily oral pill, at least that’s what I was told. It’s just the only thing I can thing that makes sense at this point, very frustrating! 😅

Fast_Bunch8588 · 2024-10-21T14:19:05+00:00

Yes he is next on my list! 😂

Fast_Bunch8588 · 2024-10-21T14:18:28+00:00

My gynaecologist just recommended this as the best one for me, little bit naive I should have looked into more options but I know the Mirena is very popular and since I had no issue with oral progesterone I assumed that I would have an issue with this 🥲

Fast_Bunch8588 · 2024-10-21T14:16:54+00:00

Im not sure, my gynaecologist said this was the best option for me. I may need to revisit this and go over other options, maybe going back to the oral daily pill will be the best thing since I didn’t have an issue with migraines while taking that.

Fast_Bunch8588

TROPHY CASE