Nursing Resources

We have gathered resources on a range of topics that are useful to nurses working in aged care and shared them below. Some items may be listed under more than one topic area.

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health
• Bladder and bowel
• Culturally and linguistically diverse communities (CALD) 
• Chronic disease management
• Dementia
• Disability
• Funding
• General aged care
• Mental health
• Nutrition
• Oral health
• Palliative care
• Screening and Assessment Tools
• Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) 

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health

• A little yarn goes a long way (brochure) - Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (2020) - This brochure has been developed to inform older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and their friends and family, about the support available to help them resolve concerns about aged care services.
• Aboriginal palliative care (video) - HammondCare Consortium (2013) - This interview with Dr Anthoulla Mohamudally outlines some common underpinning values within Aboriginal communities and key themes to consider when delivering palliative care services.

Bladder and bowel

• Aged Care Resources - Continence Foundation of Australia (2022) - Continence Resources for Aged Care has been designed for healthcare professionals and personal care workers who care for older Australians.
• Bladder and bowel for older Australians - Department of Health and Aged Care (2019) - Resources to support people experiencing bladder and bowel issues. 
• Catheter Care and Maintenance - Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US) (2017) - AHRQ Safety Program for Long-Term Care: CAUTI Guidelines.

Chronic disease management

• Australian Podiatry Association (2023) - Association for podiatrists.
• Arthritis Australia (2023) - Resources for nurses about arthritis.
• Asthma Australia (2023) - Asthma Australia resource library for healthcare professionals.
• Cancer Council Australia (2023) - Resources for healthcare professionals.
• Diabetes Australia (2023) - Resources for healthcare professionals.
• Healthy Bones Australia (2023) - Resources for healthcare professionals.
• Lung Foundation (2023) - Resources for healthcare professionals.
• National Association of Diabetes Centres (2023) - The National Association of Diabetes Centres (NADC) is a national collective of organisations that are involved either directly or indirectly in diabetes services and care.
• Kidney Health Australia (2023) - Resources about kidney health for health professionals.
• Pain Foundation (2023) - Pain Foundation Ltd is the not-for-profit organisation that helps provide secure funding to the researchers and clinicians of the Pain Management Research Institute (PMRI).
• Parkinson's Disease Australia (2023) - Resources for nurses about Parkinson's Disease.
• The Heart Foundation (2023) - Resource library for healthcare professionals.

Culturally and linguistically diverse communities (CALD)

• Actions to Support Older Culturally and Linguistically Diverse People - Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care (2023) - A guide for aged care providers.
• Communicating with older people who have diverse needs - Victorian Government Department of Health (2015) - Guide to support older people with specific communication needs who have an increased risk of experiencing functional decline in hospital.
• Palliative care and culturally and linguistically diverse communities (video) - HammondCare Consortium (2013) - A conversation with Dr Astrid Perry about the importance of consideration of culture in end-of-life care.

Dementia

• Behaviour Support Plans - Dementia Support Australia - This website and behaviour support plan resources are here to help you understand behavioural support, what a good BSP looks like, and how to play your part in bringing BSPs to life.
• Delirium - symptoms, diagnosis and treatment - Alzheimer's Society UK - Delirium is a common, serious but often treatable condition that starts suddenly in someone who is unwell.
• Dementia Australia (2023) represents the more than 400,000 Australians living with dementia and the more than 1.5 million Australians involved in their care.
• Identifying delirium—screening and assessment—Victorian Government Department of Health (2015)—Screening tools to support healthcare professionals in identifying delirium in older patients.
• Identifying and managing cognitive impairment - Victorian Government Department of Health (2015) - How to identify and manage cognitive impairment in older people.
• Palliative care and dementia (video) - HammondCare Consortium (2013) - Dr Elspeth Correy discusses how why and when to consider palliative care as part of dementia care.

Disability

• Scope (formerly Disability Services Australia) - Scope is a disability services provider. 

Education

• APNA's Online Learning Products - APNA - Free and paid-for resources for primary care nurses on a range of topics. 
• Equip Aged Care Learning Packages - University of Tasmania - Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre - Equip's packages are available for anyone working in the aged care sector, including nurses, personal care workers and families. Topics covered include dementia, oral health, palliative care and, coming soon, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Awareness. 
• PCC4U - Palliative Care Curriculum for Undergraduates - PCC4U - Providing palliative care learning and teaching resources for entry-to-practice health programs.

Funding

• Australian National Aged Care Classification funding model - Department of Health and Aged Care - About the Australian Government's AN-ACC funding model for approved residential aged care providers.

General Aged Care 

• Aged Care resources - Department of Health and Aged Care (2023) - A list of resources, including apps, audio and video resources and other publications, about aged care.
• 3 simple checks to support your residents (poster) - Department of Health and Aged Care (2020) - A checklist on how to support your residents for personal care workers in residential aged care.
• Aged care for Indigenous Australians - Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2021) - Indigenous Australians aged 50 and over and their use of aged care services.
• APNA's Online Learning Products - APNA - Free and paid for resources for primary care nurses on a range of topics. 
• Australian Centre for Evidence Based Aged Care (ACEBAC) (2023) - ACEBAC advocates for person-centred, evidence-based care of older people.
• Foundations of Aged Care: a workbook for nurses - APNA -The Foundations of Aged Care workbook is a tool to guide you in transitioning to aged care nursing, whether in the home, in a residential care facility, or providing flexible services. 
• How does APNA support aged care nursing? - APNA (2023) - Details on how APNA supports aged care nursing.
• My Aged Care—Australian Government (2023)—This is a resource for older people seeking support in aged care.
• Nursing Australia podcast—APNA—A news and education podcast for Australian nurses, presented by APNA, that focuses on working together towards a healthier Australia. 
• Older Person's Advocacy Network—Older Person's Advocacy Network offers videos and webinars for those interested in issues affecting aged care.
• Pop-Up Health Case Studies - for use by nursing students (2024) 
  • Cellulitis *new*
  • Pneumonia *new*
  • Pressure Injuries and Ulcerations *new*
  • Purple Urine Bag Syndrome *new*
  • Upper GI Bleed *new*
• Preparing for heatwave conditions - Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (2019) - Information for those providing aged care services in a heatwave.
• RACGP aged care clinical guide (Silver Book) - RACGP - A guide for GPs about the care of older people.
• Standardised care processes - Victorian Government Department of Health (2022) - Standardised Care Processes (SCPs) for high-risk clinical areas in care settings for older people.
• What is aged care? - Department of Health and Aged Care - Information about aged care and the aged care system in Australia. 

Medication management

• Guiding Principles for Medication Management in Residential Aged Care Facilities - Department of Health and Aged Care (2023) - Guiding principles for medicines management in residential aged care facilities.

Mental Health

• Getting Older and Mental Health - Beyond Blue - Resources to support older people with mental health challenges such as anxiety and depression.
• Identifying depression - screening and assessment - Victorian Government Department of Health (2015) - Screening tools designed to screen for depression when a patient is admitted to hospital.

For mental health services available for nursing staff, please visit Workplace Resources.

Nutrition

• A guide for aged care staff - dining essentials (poster) - Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission - Eight facts you need to know about the residents you care for.
• Dysphagia, safe swallowing, and mealtime management - NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission (2020) - Dysphagia, safe swallowing, and mealtime management.
• Food, Dining and Nutrition resources (providers) - Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (2023) - Food, Dining and Nutrition resources for those providing aged care services.
• Food and nutrition in aged care - Department of Health and Aged Care (2023) - About changes being made to improve the quality of life for older people living in Australia through a range of food and nutrition initiatives.
• Supporting safe and enjoyable mealtimes for people with swallowing difficulties - Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission - This fact sheet provides an overview of a provider action plan and staff capability needed to ensure that people with swallowing difficulties, also known as dysphagia, have safe and enjoyable mealtimes in aged care.
• Healthy and high-quality food in public hospitals and aged care facilities - Victorian Government Department of Health (2023) - Initiative to improve quality of food in aged care.
• Food, Dining and Nutrition resources (providers) - Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (2023) - Food, Dining and Nutrition resources for those providing aged care services.

 

Oral Health

• Supporting daily oral health care in residential aged care - Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission - A fact sheet for aged care staff about oral health for aged care residents.

Palliative care

• Aboriginal palliative care (video) - HammondCare Consortium (2013) - This interview with Dr Anthoulla Mohamudally outlines some common underpinning values within Aboriginal communities and key themes to consider when delivering palliative care services.
• CareSearch - Palliative Care Knowledge Network (2024) - The CareSearch Project consolidates online palliative care knowledge for health professionals, people needing palliative care and their families, and for the general community. *new*
• National Core Community Palliative Care Medicines List (2024) - The National Core Community Palliative Care Medicines List identifies four medicines for use by home-based palliative patients in the terminal phase who require urgent symptom relief. In response to requests from key national stakeholders, the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care supported caring@home to develop a core medicines list applicable across all Australian States and Territories.*new*
• End of Life Directions for Aged Care (ELDAC) (2023) - ELDAC provides information, guidance, and resources to health professionals and aged care workers to support palliative care and advance care planning to improve the care of older Australians.
• Palliative Care Australia (2023) - Palliative Care Australia (PCA) is the national peak body for palliative care.
• palliAGED - Flinders University (2023) - palliAGED is the palliative care evidence and practice information resource for the Australian aged care sector.
• PalliAGED - Introduction Modules for Aged Care (2024) - The palliAGED Introduction modules for aged care nurses provide a gateway to training and understanding in palliative care including symptoms and care issues. 
• Palliative care and culturally and linguistically diverse communities (video) - HammondCare Consortium (2013) - A conversation with Dr Astrid Perry about the importance of consideration of culture in end of life care.
• Palliative care and dementia (video) - HammondCare Consortium (2013) - Dr Elspeth Correy discusses how, why and when to consider palliative care as part of dementia care.
• PCC4U - Pallaitive Care Curriculum for Undergraduates - PCC4U - Providing palliative care learning and teaching resources for entry-to-practice health programs.
• Practice Tips for Nurses in Aged Care - PalliAGED - Flinders University (2022) - Tip sheets for nurses in Aged Care on a range of topics.
• Primary Care Toolkit - End of Life Directions for Aged Care (ELDAC) (2021) - Provides an evidence‐based resource for people working in primary care to support palliative care and advance care planning.
• Residential Aged Care Toolkit - End of Life Directions for Aged Care (ELDAC) (2021) - A series of modules explaining end of life care in aged care facilities.

Providers

• AN-ACC provider checklist - Department of Health and Aged Care (2022) - The Australian National Aged Care Classification (AN-ACC) has replaced the Aged Care Funding Instrument (ACFI). This check list provides residential aged care providers with actions they can take to operate smoothly under the new arrangements.

Screening and Assessment Tools

• Cognitive Impairment Scale (PAS) - Department of Health and Aged Care (2016) - This scale is part of the Psychogeriatric Assessment Scales (PAS).  Aged care providers can use this to test cognitive impairment of care recipients. 
• Frailty screening and assessment tools - NSW Government Agency for Clinical Innovation (2020) - Screening and assessment tools for frailty.
• Identifying delirium - screening and assessment - Victorian Government Department of Health (2015) - Screening tools to support healthcare professionals to identify delerium in older patients. 
• Identifying depression - screening and assessment - Victorian Government Department of Health (2015) - Screening tools designed to screen for depression when a patient is admitted to hospital.
• Psychogeriatric Assessment Scales (PAS) User Guide - Department of Health and Aged Care (2016) - PAS helps aged care providers to carry out psychogeriatric assessments for dementia and depression. 
• Standardised Mini-Mental Examination (SMMSE) - Independent Health and Aged Care Pricing Authority - The MMSE was designed as a screening test for the purpose of evaluating cognitive impairment in older adults.   

Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD)

• Overview of Voluntary Assisted Dying (2023) - This factsheet explains common features of the laws across States, including eligibility criteria, processes to access VAD, and safeguards as well as the obligations of health professionals and institutions in relation to VAD.
• Nursing Australia podcast episode 19 - APNA - Interview with Andrew Denton about voluntary assisted dying (VAD).

Wound Management

• Prevention and Treatment of Pressure Ulcers/Injuries: Clinical Practice Guideline - Wounds Australia (2019) - Prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers
• NSQHS Standards - Preventing pressure injuries and wound management - Australian Commission on Quality and Safety in Healthcare (2020) - This resource provides guidance for organisations developing policies, procedures and protocols for preventing, screening, assessing, treating, monitoring and documenting pressure injuries.

 

We welcome feedback. Please let us know what you think of the Aged Care Knowledge Hub and what resources you would like to see included. 

The Aged Care Knowledge Hub is supported by funding from the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care under the Aged Care Nursing Clinical Placements Program.