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Help Your Staff Upgrade Their Aged Care Qualifications

on Wednesday, July 7, 2021

An organisation can only be as good as the people within it; well-trained, committed, and compassionate employees. For aged care facilities to reach their full potential, staff teams need to be supported to do the same.

While many aged care workers are naturally caring and capable in their work, their qualifications and ongoing learning and professional development are crucial to the health and wellbeing of the elderly.

It’s vital that aged care employers support their teams to obtain relevant skills and knowledge, and reskill or upgrade aged care qualifications regularly. By doing this, aged care facilities are in the best position to offer the highest possible standard of care to ageing Australians.

Recommendations from the Royal Commission

The recent Aged Care Royal Commission recommendations have set the bar for employers to ensure their employees’ qualifications are up to date and meet the sector’s needs. Creating a culture of continual learning and seeking out best practice for the sector will help your facility contribute to the overhaul of aged care in Australia.

The recommendations aim to advocate for the health, wellbeing and dignity of the elderly individuals who require aged care services. Mandating training means aged care workers and care facilities will have the skillsets and recent sector insights to provide excellent care.

The importance of reskilling and upskilling in aged care

First aid and CPR, documentation and care strategies — many facets of the aged care sector are always evolving. To maximise the delivery of quality care, aged care professionals need to have the latest appropriate training.

For the aged care sector, it’s so vital that every worker has access to the latest information around providing quality aged care.

Training aged care teams benefits everyone

There are many benefits to providing aged care teams with training opportunities, including:

  • Increased job satisfaction:

When employees feel valued and supported, they are more likely to stay with your business. Supporting upgrading aged care qualifications means you end up with a workplace of highly skilled employees who are loyal to your organisation.

  • Improved workplace productivity:

Not only do highly skilled employees feel happier in the workplace and provide a higher standard of care, they are also more productive. The investment into training aged care workers pays off in many ways.

  • Raising the standard of care:

Aged care workers who are well-trained are capable of delivering the highest standard of care to the elderly. They also have the ability to complete a broader range of tasks. For example, some home care workers may also be known as domestic support workers and do not currently hold a Certificate III in Individual Support (Aged Care). Reskilling will allow them to do more, such as administering medication and first aid. In turn, this lifts the standard across your aged care facility, ensuring residents feel respected and cared for.

  • A reputable aged care facility:

With a strong workforce of well-trained aged care workers providing care that is second to none, your aged care organisation will thrive.

Supporting your team to upgrade qualifications

When members of your aged care team are upgrading their knowledge and skillset, they may need support from you to do so. How can you be a supportive employer when your employees are refreshing their training? There are few things you can do to make this period simple for everyone:

  • Create an encouraging environment:

Employees who are keen on improving their skills and knowledge should be encouraged to do so. Encouragement can be suggesting courses to staff, providing career pathways via upskilling or even just chatting about employee goals to show that the support is there.

  • Be flexible where possible:

Your staff might need some extra time here or there to study or complete assignments while they are training. Where possible, be flexible with them to ensure they aren’t experiencing unnecessary stress. Remember, their upskilling is going to lift the standard for your aged care facility.

Choosing quality training for your aged care staff

The team at Royal College is dedicated to supporting a world-class aged care sector for Australians. Although significant numbers of personal care workers and home care workers hold a Certificate III qualification or equivalent, the Royal Commission heard about inconsistency in the quality, delivery and duration of the courses leading to that qualification. Royal College courses are carefully and thoughtful designed to train individuals to be the best aged care worker they can be.

Royal College work with aged care facilities to deliver upskilling opportunities to employees, support workplace training and even partner for practical work placements at your facility. Workplace training presents an advantageous opportunity for employers to effectively train staff on the job in their prospective workplace environment. Explore Royal College's range of delivery modes here.

Royal College trainers have extensive experience in the aged care sector, so they have the insight required to deliver training the way it should be to work for everyone. Royal College also place importance on the development of soft skills. These more personal qualities can have a positive impact on the way that individuals can offer support to those they work with — both those in their care and those they may be working alongside.

Enhance your aged care workforce and be a leader in the aged care sector.

For more information on supporting staff in upskilling their aged care qualifications, contact the team at Royal College on 1300 484 158.

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