The number of Australians aged 65 and over is about 4.4 million, which is steadily increasing as the country’s population continues to age. Currently, there are 38,400 registered nurses employed in aged care and recent data forecasts a potential undersupply of 17,551 full-time nurses in aged care by 2035.
The shift in population distribution and current workforce shortages will likely boost the future demand for skilled and motivated nurses to move into aged care settings to support the health and wellbeing of older people.
Aged care nurses are an essential part of the aged care sector. They help improve health outcomes and quality of life for older populations with specialised nursing care and support for their overall wellbeing.
This article explores the role of aged care nurses, the benefits and challenges as well as pathways to get started in this rewarding healthcare sector.
What is aged care nursing?
Aged care nursing is a specialised field where highly skilled registered nurses (RNs) care for older populations, typically in a residential aged care facility. RNs in aged care can advance their career with a range of roles, including clinical nurse, nurse educator and nurse practitioner roles. The duties and responsibilities of nurses in aged care may differ depending on their specific position and setting.
Aged care nurse duties and responsibilities
What are the roles and responsibilities of an aged care nurse?
- Assess, plan and deliver patient care in line with nursing practices and standards
- Administer medications properly and monitor patients for progress or side effects
- Collaborate with health teams to create and coordinate care plans tailored to patients
- Promote patient health through education and prevention programs
- Communicate with families to provide updates, information and emotional support
- Provide palliative care support to residents or patients and their families
- Supervise and coordinate enrolled nurses and other healthcare staff
What do aged care nurses earn in Australia?
The average aged care nurse salary in Australia is $103,000 per year. In late 2024, the Fair Work Commission outlined changes to aged care nurse wages, which will result in registered and enrolled nurses receiving phased wage increases throughout 2025. Along with these increases, new classification structures will be implemented, requiring nurses in aged care to be reclassified under the Nurses Award 2020. The Australian Government will provide additional funding to support these wage increases and aged care providers are required to pass on the full amount to nurses employed in this sector.
Things to keep in mind when considering a role in aged care nursing
Aged care nursing comes with many benefits and challenges. Taking into consideration the opportunities and career growth available to you is important when considering working in this field.
You can have a big impact on your patients
Working in aged care allows you to make a meaningful impact on the lives of older adults as you support their dignity, health and wellbeing. This field can require you to support patients with complex health conditions, such as dementia, diabetes or other chronic diseases and a chance to learn and grow exponentially as a nurse.
Madeline Kessler, registered nurse and life coach, says that getting aged care experience early in your career can help shape you and help you develop a good core practice. “The grassroots of aged care is an excellent platform and environment to learn in,” she says.
Madeline reflected on her experience in aged care as a trainee nurse. She explained that building rapport and making a connection quickly are key aspects of being an outstanding nurse and how aged care nursing can provide a unique opportunity to develop these skills. “Developing rapport with your patients builds trust and respect. As your confidence grows as a nurse, coupled with building trust and respect, your patients will feel safe for you to lead them,” Madeline says.
Connecting with patients means you can also foster meaningful relationships with them, which is an immensely rewarding part of the job. Providing nursing care to patients over a longer time period allows you to provide holistic care, supporting their physical, social and emotional health and wellbeing.
Michelle Deroubaix, clinical nurse and nursing career specialist agrees that a novelty of aged care nursing is the relationship you foster with your patients. “Aged care nurses love their residents. They’ve got a relationship with them and they care about them.”
It’s emotionally and physically demanding
There’s value in knowing that aged care nursing can be emotionally challenging, particularly when you’re supporting patients with chronic diseases and providing end-of-life care. Witnessing patients in vulnerable moments can be a difficult aspect of the job, especially after building a strong, trusting relationship with them and supporting their health and general wellbeing.
Supporting difficult patients is also a part of the role of aged care nurses. Madeline emphasises the importance of practicing tolerance, knowing how to adapt and the need to assimilate into the work environment and patient base.
“In an aged care setting, you really do need to be understanding of your patients. Their values and beliefs are not necessarily going to be aligned with yours. It’s not about re-educating people. It's about managing the situation you’re in with that person. You just need to focus on the care you’re delivering.”
There are also physical demands involved with aged care nursing roles. Lifting and transferring patients with limited mobility or assisting with personal care tasks such as bathing, dressing and toileting are a normal part of many roles in aged care. These tasks and long hours on your feet can contribute to strain and exhaustion over time, adding to the physical challenges of these roles.
You can utilise your existing nursing skills
When considering the transition into aged care, it’s important not to dismiss your existing nursing skills. Clinical nursing skills in acute care, patient assessment and monitoring and care plan development, along with soft nursing skills such as adaptability, collaboration, communication, empathy, patience and leadership are equally important in aged care.
As Michelle emphasises, “the ability to juggle all the variables, the different needs of patients and triaging” are all important transferable skills that apply to an aged care nursing role. These roles also afford you an opportunity to hone your chronic disease management skills and gain experience supporting the ongoing mental and physical health needs of patients.
How to pursue a career in aged care nursing
There are a few key steps to becoming an aged care nurse. Below, we’ll look at the typical study pathways and education requirements as well as how to get ahead in your aged care nursing career with postgraduate study.
Become a registered nurse and gain NMBA registration
Most nurses working in aged care are registered nurses, however some are enrolled nurses. There are several pathways to becoming a registered nurse in Australia, depending on your background and previous qualifications. Most people follow the path of completing an undergraduate degree, such as a Bachelor of Nursing, which takes approximately three years of full-time study.
If you have an undergraduate degree in another health field, you may be eligible to enrol in a graduate entry program to complete a Master of Nursing. This provides another pathway to becoming a registered nurse. These courses typically take two years to complete full-time. After you gain your nursing qualification, you need to obtain registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) and maintain the ongoing annual training and renewal requirements.
Look for roles in aged care settings
You can begin searching for jobs in aged care by browsing vacancies directly on aged care facilities’ websites and career pages. You can also search online job boards like SEEK, LinkedIn and Indeed.
Madeline also says that it is “worthwhile joining an agency and utilising them to help find places to work to gain nursing experience. A lot of places would be happy to take on casual nurses, due to the demand,” she says. “It could be great work and by being in a casual pool, nurses can better manage the risk of burnout.”
Michelle says that starting out as casual before committing further may be ideal to get a feel for these roles, adding “working as a casual nurse or agency can give you some insight into whether this type of work is for you.”
Networking with colleagues and gaining insights from nurses already working in aged care to find jobs is also a valuable avenue to pursue.
Advance your knowledge with postgraduate education
Expanding your skill set with postgraduate study can help support your career in aged care nursing. You’ll develop important skills and knowledge in areas that relate to your role, which can help open doors to specialised or advanced roles as an aged care nurse.
Advancing your skills with a Master of Nursing Majoring in Advanced Practice can open doors to senior and leadership nursing roles in aged care, such as nurse practitioner roles. This flexible, online course provides you with advanced nursing skills, including:
- Advanced health assessment techniques for assessing patient health
- Expertise in medication management and administration in advanced practice settings
- Diagnostic reasoning skills for advanced nursing roles
- Effective clinical governance in healthcare settings
- Analysing research and applying evidence-based practices to improve patient care
Completing a Master of Nursing (Chronic Disease and Ageing) can equip you with invaluable skills to deliver innovative and patient-centred care to older adults in various settings. This flexible, online course provides you with specialised aged care nursing skills, including:
- Strategies for planning, assessing, implementing and evaluating care for older adults with complex conditions
- Innovative care interventions for individuals with long-term health issues
- Understanding the needs of diverse older adult populations to improve patient outcomes
- Integrating technology to enhance nursing practice and patient care
- Preparing nurses for senior leadership roles in managing healthcare services for older people
Support programs for nurses looking to move into aged care
There are Australian government initiatives available for nurses interested in aged care.
The Aged Care Nursing Clinical Placements Program is designed to provide nursing students with clinical placements in the care and support sector. The program is available to students enrolled in a Diploma of Nursing, Bachelor of Nursing or Master of Nursing (Graduate Entry) course and aims to highlight the rewarding opportunities in sectors such as aged care, encouraging registered nurses to consider this pathway as an option early-on in their career.
The Aged Care Transition to Practice (ACTTP) Program is aimed at nurses moving into aged care and includes mentoring, training and professional development in the aged care sector. It is available to registered nurses seeking leadership positions and career opportunities in aged care nursing. Guidance from senior aged care nurses is provided as part of this program to help support new staff transitioning into this exciting field.
Start your career in aged care nursing
Being an aged care nurse offers profound rewards, from building meaningful patient connections to opportunities to advance your skills and progress your nursing career. If you’re ready to make a real difference in the lives of older patients, aged care nursing is a worthwhile pursuit. With the additional nursing skills gained from postgraduate courses, you’ll have the expertise and confidence to enjoy a thriving career as an aged care nurse.
Are you considering an alternative healthcare field?
GlobalHealth Education’s university partners have a diverse range of courses suited to different healthcare sectors and career goals. Explore courses in social work, public health, counselling, nursing, psychology, health leadership and mental health. Online, flexible delivery allows you to take on study, fitting in with work and your personal life. Choose a course that suits your career needs and speak to a Student Enrolment Advisor to get started studying and advance your healthcare career.
