If you are thinking about taking up aged care nursing as a career, you are at the right place. The scope of aged care jobs in Australia is quite broad. It provides various opportunities for nurses and healthcare professionals to fill roles which provide comfort and care for the elderly.
Aged care nurse job opportunities
There are several aged care jobs available all across Australia. You can find thousands of positions on job search websites like SEEK and Indeed. Vacancies are open for the following positions
- Registered nurses
- Endorsed enrolled nurses
- Urgent care nurses
- Graduate registered nurses
Work settings for aged care nurses
Aged care nurses can work in various settings. These include the following.
- Aged care nurses can work in residential facilities. There are several elderly who require continuous care for 24 hours.
- They can also find work in community care settings where there are several seniors who often need to be looked after.
- Aged care nurses have the choice to work full time or part time and it all depends upon their preference and the requirements of their employers.
Training and development for aged care nurse jobs
If you are looking for work opportunities in the aged care sector, the employers are responsible to provide training and development opportunities. As a nurse you can choose to go for palliative care, nutrition management, sleep management and behavioural management.
Flexible working hours
As an aged care nurse you will have the opportunity to choose when to work and where you want to work. there are several positions which are suitable for a number of skills and preferences.
Qualifications
To work as an aged care nurse you need to have a relevant qualification, such as the certificate III in individual support aged care or a high level nursing degree.
- The bachelor of nursing degree is an essential degree to become a registered nurse. It is a prerequisite if you want to work as an aged care nurse.
- Specialist experience required. nurses need to have specialist experience in their field which could include mental health or oncology nursing.
- It is important to be registered with the nursing and the midwife free board of Australia to practise as a registered nurse.
- You also need to have additional certifications such as a certificate in aged care nursing which can be completed at a TAFE or RTO. It is an important qualification which would allow you to work as an assistant in nursing or personal care attendant in the aged care setting.
- As an aged care nurse you need to have at least one or two years of nursing experience where you have worked in an aged care setting. It is necessary to have skills such as multitasking and medication management. Some experience in palliative care is an additional plus.
With the help of these qualifications and requirements, you can find fulfilling aged care nursing jobs. For hard working individuals there are a variety of opportunities in hospitals, aged care homes, community care and personal residences.