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  Chronic disease management  Continence  Culturally and linguistically diverse communities (CALD) Neurodegenerative disorders  Nutrition and oral health

Prevention  Palliative care  Regulations  Support  Student education

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health

Online learning

Videos

• Caring for Indigenous Australians in Aged Care Facilities - Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing (2017). 

• Culturally safe care is your right - and our responsibility - Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (2025)

• Person-centred care is good aged care - Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (2025)

• Sharing language is sharing culture - Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (2025)

Resource library 

• Aboriginal Nurses: Transforming Aged Care Through Cultural Safety - Brightstar Nursing Australia (2025) - An article exploring the importance of culturally safe healthcare. 

• Actions to Support Older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People Guide - Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing (2025). 

• Aged care for Indigenous Australians - Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2023) - Indigenous Australians aged 50 and over and their use of aged care services. 

• Aged Care Library - NACCHO 2025 - Resource library specifically focused on aged care in the ABTI community. 

• Fact sheet for nurses working with First Nations health Practitioners -  Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (2025). 

• National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care Program - Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing (2025) - Information on funding options to support providers to be able to offer cultural inclusive care. 

 

Chronic disease management

Online learning 

• Arthritis training, learning and upskilling for professionals – Arthritis Australia (2025) - An evidence-based free program on arthritis care for nurses to upskill. 

• Diabetes Training for Aged Care Workers - Diabetes Australia (2025) - Learn to recognize, manage, and support diabetes to prevent complications through effective care and communication.

• National Lung Cancer Screening Program - Lung Foundation Australia (2025) - Free modules on early detection using biennial low-dose CT scans for high-risk individuals, aiming to prevent over 500 deaths annually.

• Online courses for health professionals - Heart Foundation (2025) - Online courses, designed by industry experts for nurses to increase knowledge and enhance patient management. 

Resource library 

• Asthma Australia’s Health Professional Hub (2025) - Access to free clinical practice tools, including the ACQ5 and C-ACT tools and Asthma Action Plan, and resources to support Professional Development through online training. 

• Coordinated Veterans’ Care (CVC) Program - Department of Health and Aged Care (2024) - This guide supports veterans with chronic conditions through team-based care to improve health, reduce hospitalizations, and enhance self-management, with payments to GPs for ongoing support.

• CKD Management in Primary Care handbook – Kidney Health Australia (2025) - Provides guidance and clinical tips to help primary care practitioners to detect, manage and refer patients with CKD in their practice. 

• National Diabetes Nursing Education Framework – National Diabetes Services Scheme (2024-2026) - Page 62 of this document a competency statement and assessment on older people and diabetes.

 

Continence 

Online Learning 

• Continence learning - Continence Health Australia (2025) - Specialised Continence Care learning modules designed specifically for registered nurses. 

Resource library 

• Continence Resources for Aged Care User Guide - Continence Foundation of Australia (2024) - Designed for healthcare professionals and personal care workers who care for older Australians.

• Research study on continence care for older people in aged care - National Ageing Research Institute Limited (2025) - NARI researchers reviewed evidence for the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care to inform a clinical care standard. 

• The IDC-IMPROVE Project - National Ageing Research Institute Limited (2025) - Video on improving indwelling urinary catheter care in residential aged care. 

 

Culturally and linguistically diverse communities (CALD)

Resource library 

• Aged Care Diversity Framework initiative - Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing (2025) – Provides action plans for government, aged care providers and consumers and helps providers meet the goals of the framework.

• Health Translations - A free library of Australian multilingual health and wellbeing information funded by the Victorian Government. 

 

Neurodegenerative disorders 

Online learning 

• Applying a Problem-Solving Approach to Behaviours - Dementia Australia (2024) - A professional training course that equips nurses to understand dementia-related behavioural changes and use a systematic, client centred problem-solving framework to prevent or reduce their impact.

• Communicating in a Person-Centred Way - Dementia Australia (2024) - A three-part course that teaches effective communication strategies to support people living with dementia and foster positive interactions within care relationships. 

• Dementia and Pain in residential care - Dementia Australia (2024) - This short course aims to raise awareness of the prevalence of pain in residential aged care, helps to identify common causes of pain and assists in managing pain for people living with dementia. 

• Learning course: What is Dementia? - Dementia Australia (2024) - This three-part course provides you with an introduction to dementia, diagnosis, treatment and support strategies for both the person living with dementia and their carer.  

• Equip Aged Care Learning Packages - University of Tasmania - Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre (2025) - Equip's packages are available to anyone in aged care. Topics include dementia, oral health, palliative care, and soon, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Awareness. 

Resource library 

• Cognition - dementia, delirium and depression - Victorian Government Department of Health (2024) - Screening tools designed to screen for depression when a patient is admitted to hospital. 

• 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 (2024) - Screening tools to support healthcare professionals in identifying delirium in older patients.  

• Psychogeriatric Assessment Scales (PAS) User Guide - Department of Health and Aged Care (2016) - PAS helps aged care providers carry out psychogeriatric assessments for dementia and depression. 

• Standardised Mini-Mental Examination (SMMSE) - Independent Health and Aged Care Pricing Authority (1975) - The MMSE was designed as a screening test for the evaluation of cognitive impairment in older adults.    

• Success in online lifestyle trial to improve cognition in older adults - University of NSW (2025) - This article explores how a scalable intervention could delay cognitive decline and reduce global dementia rates if widely implemented.

 

Nutrition and oral health 

Online learning 

Videos 

• An introduction to oral health for residential aged care providers and workers - Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (2023).  
• Oral Health in Residential Aged Care - Australian Dept of Health, Disability and Ageing (2025).  

Resource library 

• A guide for aged care staff - dining essentials - Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (2024) - A poster with 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. 

• 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. 

• Supporting safe and enjoyable mealtimes for people with swallowing difficulties - Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (2025) - 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. 

• Supporting daily oral health care in residential aged care - Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (2025) - A fact sheet for aged care staff about oral health for aged care residents. 

 

Palliative care 

Online learning 

• Online Learning Pallative Care - APNA (2025) - This training covers key palliative care concepts and promotes quality care through assessment, communication, and teamwork.  

• 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.  

• PCC4U - Pallaitive Care Curriculum for Undergraduates - PCC4U - Providing palliative care learning and teaching resources for entry-to-practice health programs. 

• 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. 

Resource library 

• 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.  

• End of Life Directions for Aged Care - ELDAC (2025) - Provides information, guidance, and resources to health professionals and aged care workers to support palliative care and advance care planning and improve the care of older Australians. 

• 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. 

• Nursing Australia podcast episode 19 - APNA - Interview with Andrew Denton about voluntary assisted dying (VAD). 

• Overview of Voluntary Assisted Dying (2023) - This factsheet explains the common features of state laws regarding VAD, including eligibility criteria, processes for accessing VAD, safeguards, and the obligations of health professionals and institutions regarding VAD. 

• 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. 

• 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. 

• The Older Person -  palliAGED (2025) - This content highlights research evidence underpinning Standard 1: The Person and the broader principles guiding the strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards. 

• The use of smart technologies for enhancing palliative care: A systematic review - SAGE Publications (2024) - This research explores smart technologies in palliative care and offers recommendations for their effective use. 

 

Prevention 

Resource library 

• Caring for Older People in Heatwaves - Residential Aged Care - Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (2024) - Information for those providing aged care services in a heatwave. 

• Episode 7 - Wound Rescue | Community Therapy  - Community Health Podcast (2025) - Professionals discuss wound care in the aged care and disability sectors.  

• Falls Prevention for Older Adults - Injury Matter (2024) - This video is a Stay On Your Feet webinar, hosted with ESSA, shared WA statistics, evidence-based prevention practices, and strategies like screening and exercise to reduce falls in older adults.  

• The aged care Infection prevention and control guide - Australian Commission on Quality and Saftey in Healthcare (2024) - An overview of common invasive medical interventions within aged care and the prevention and control of infections.  

• 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. 

• Prevention and Treatment of Pressure Ulcers/Injuries: Clinical Practice Guideline - Wounds Australia (2019) - Prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers. 

• Wound Management and Pressure Injury Prevention - University of Tasmania (2025) - An introduction to the prevention of pressure injuries and wound care in older people, short course.  

 

Regulations

Online learning 

• Aged Care Learning Information Solution - Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (2025) - Free online modules and workshops to help you understand and apply aged care standards, codes, and regulations in Australia. 

Resource library 

• About the Aged Care Bill - Department of Health and Aged Care (2025) - A summary of each chapter of the Act and explains what the Australian Government is doing to support the changes now and in the future.

• Care minutes and 24/7 registered nurses in residential aged care - Department of Health and Aged Care (2025) - Explains regulations regarding residential aged care providers and minimum number of minutes of care per day. 

• 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. 

• Medicine use in older people - Department of Health and Aged Care (2024) - This article highlights the complexity of medicine use in older adults and the importance of careful monitoring to ensure safety and effectiveness. 

• Quality Standards for Aged Care - Department of Health and Aged Care (2025) - Overview of quality standards for aged care in Australia. 

• Restrictive practices in aged care - a last resort - Department of Health and Aged Care (2025) - This resource outlines key considerations and legal obligations around restrictive practices. 

• Standardised care processes - Victorian Government Department of Health (2025) - Standardised Care Processes (SCPs) for high-risk clinical areas in care settings for older people. 

 

Support 

Online learning 

• APNA's Online Learning Products - APNA - Free and paid resources for primary care nurses on a range of topics.  

• Resilience in Primary Healthcare - APNA (2025) - This training explores resilience through its traits, strengths, and strategies, covering adaptation to change, stress management, risk and protective factors, and evidence-based self-care techniques for primary care settings.

Resource library 

• Australian National Aged Care Classification funding model - Department of Health and Aged Care (2025) - About the Australian Government's AN-ACC funding model for approved residential aged care providers. 

• Australian Centre for Evidence-Based Aged Care (ACEBAC) - La Trobe University (2025) - 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 (2025) - Details on how APNA supports aged care nursing. 

• Older Person's Advocacy Network - Older Person's Advocacy Network (2025) - Videos and webinars for those interested in issues affecting aged care. 

• Nursing Australia podcast - APNA (2025) - A news and education podcast for Australian nurses, presented by APNA, that focuses on working together towards a healthier Australia. 

• Nurse & Midwife Support (2025) - A 24/7 national support service for nurses & midwives providing access to confidential advice and referral.

• RACGP aged care clinical guide (Silver Book) - RACGP (2024) - A guide for GPs about the care of older people. 

• Referring a patient to My Aged Care - Australian Government (2025) - Explains how health professionals can support older Australians in accessing government-funded aged care through My Aged Care and details the referral process.

• 3 simple checks to support your residents - Department of Health and Aged Care (2020) - A poster checklist on how to support your residents for personal care workers in residential aged care.

 

Student education 

Online learning 

• PCC4U - Palliative Care Curriculum for Undergraduates - PCC4U QUT (2025) - Providing palliative care learning and teaching resources for entry-to-practice health programs.

Resource library 

• Clinical reasoning - Care Research (2022) - An article exploring clinical reasoning, a vital nursing skill, and looks at different frameworks to guide the skill. 

• 10 things I wish I knew before my first clinical placement - Australian Nursing & Midwifery Journey (2023) - An article on how clinical placements give nursing and midwifery students the opportunity to build critical hands-on skills. 

 

 

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.