Aged Care Goes From Bad To Worse (VIC. AUSTRALIA)

Aged care goes from bad to worse

JULIA MEDEW

November 30, 2009

AGED care has deteriorated in Victoria over the past two years, with some nurses looking after 47 elderly people at a time at nursing homes, compared to 39 in 2007.

The Australian Nursing Federation has called on the Federal Government to introduce minimum nurse-to-resident resident ratios after two surveys of 541 nurses and personal carers in 2007 and this year found their workload had increased significantly.

The surveys, by Melbourne University, found that in 2007, ratios ranged between one to six and one to 39, at worst, at Victorian facilities. This year, the ratios ranged between one to nine and one to 47.

The surveys also revealed increased levels of aggression from nurses and carers towards residents and vice versa. For example, in 2007, 3.6 per cent of participants said they had witnessed a co-worker being aggressive towards a resident at least once in the previous six months, compared to 7.3 per cent this year.

Nurses and carers also reported increased aggression from residents this year, compared to two years ago. This included residents trying to hit them with something and shouting or swearing at them.

A report written on the surveys by Associate Professor Leisa Sargent, Professor Bill Harley and Dr Belinda Allen said the more residents each nurse and carer had to care for, the more likely they were to report lower levels of job satisfaction, an increased likelihood of quitting their job and feeling emotionally exhausted.

Ageing's Complaints Investigation Scheme on 1800 550 552.

Abridged

SOURCE:    The Age News
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