Nurse‐Led Innovations for Optimising the Quality and Safety of Care for the Older Person in Residential Aged Care: A Warrant for Action

ABSTRACT

Aim

To canvas the contemporary contextual forces within the Australian residential aged care sector and argue for new research and innovation. There is a pressing need to provide systematised, high-quality and person-centred care to our ageing populations, especially for those who rely on residential care. This paper advances a warrant for establishing a new systematic framework for assessment and management that serves as a foundation for effective person-centred care delivery.

Design

Position paper.

Methods

This paper promulgates the current dialogue among key stakeholders of quality residential aged care in Australia, including clinicians, regulatory agencies, researchers and consumers. A desktop review gathered relevant literature spanning research, standards and guidelines regarding current and future challenges in aged care in Australia.

Results

This position paper explores the issues of improving the quality and safety of residential aged care in Australia, including the lingering impact of COVID-19 and incoming reforms. It calls for nurse-led research and innovation to deliver tools to address these challenges.

Conclusion

The paper proposes an appropriate holistic, evidence-based nursing framework to optimise the quality and safety of residential aged care in Australia.

Patient or Public Contribution

This study did not include patient or public involvement in its design, conduct, or reporting.