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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

  • A little yarn goes a long way (fact sheet) - Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (2024) - This factsheet 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.

Bladder and bowel

  • Aged Care Resources - Continence Foundation of Australia (2024) - 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

Culturally and linguistically diverse communities (CALD)

Dementia

  • Behaviour Support Plans Dementia Support Australia (2025) - 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 (2025)  - Delirium is a common, serious but often treatable condition that starts suddenly in someone who is unwell.
  • Dementia Australia (2025) 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 (2024)—Screening tools to support healthcare professionals in identifying delirium in older patients.
  • Identifying and managing cognitive impairment - Victorian Government Department of Health (2024) - How to identify and manage cognitive impairment in older people.

Disability

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 (2025) - 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

General Aged Care 

Medication management

Mental Health

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

Nutrition

 

Oral Health

Palliative care

  • 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. 
  • 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.
  • End of Life Directions for Aged Care (ELDAC) (2025): ELDAC 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.
  • 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.

 

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 it to test the 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 (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—The MMSE was designed as a screening test for the evaluation of cognitive impairment in older adults.   

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

Wound Management

 

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.

 

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