Nurturing staff to
deliver our mission
Stephanie Buckland, Chief Executive Officer
Staff shortages are an issue faced by most sectors in Australia, but it is a challenge we’ve faced in aged care for some time. For a caring industry that relies on supporting older people, often in intimate situations or moments of fragility, we need staff who are kind and professionally trained.
At Amana Living, our focus has been on providing a work environment that enables existing staff to flourish. While we have a recruitment plan to help meet the growing needs of our community, it’s the staff we already have that must be nurtured and upskilled so we can better serve our existing residents and clients.
Working with the Amana Living Training Institute, we’ve put in place a variety of development programs to ensure we have the right people in place and support them to do the right things in the right way.
This ranges from a traineeship program to support new workers in the sector by offering paid work while they train, to developing the clinical skills of early career nurses and allied health staff, such as physios and occupational therapists, through to a graduate program.
In addition to clinical skills, we’ve put a big emphasis on developing the leadership capabilities of our staff by supporting them to undertake a Certificate IV in Leadership and Management and introducing a 360-degree assessment process for senior leaders.
Our latest initiative is a program called the Clinical Development Program for Nurses which is aimed at nearly 300 nurses working for Amana Living across residential care, transition care and home care.
Amana Living nurses provide important clinical care to residents and clients, as well as clinical leadership and support to their colleagues. They are a critical part of us delivering safe, high-quality care that is personalised to every individual.
This program formalises the training we’ve been providing over the years, augmenting it with external expertise by partnering with organisations such as Edith Cowan University, Dementia Australia and Therapy Focus.
Our goal is to promote and enhance nurses’ clinical practice, knowledge and skills and align with the Aged Care Standards. It’s also an opportunity for nurses to grow their leadership skills so they can advance in clinical and managerial roles in the aged care sector.
Ongoing development of our staff is part of creating a safe and fulfilling workplace, empowering our people to give their best, deliver exceptional care and positively impact the experiences of our residents and clients. This will help us to deliver on our mission to enable older people to maintain their individuality, providing what is needed to support a fulfilling life.
Image: Amana Living nurses at the launch of the Nurses Clinical Development Program pictured with Amana Living CEO, Stephanie Buckland, and Dr Gail Ross-Adjie, Senior Lecturer in the School of Nursing and Midwifery at the University of Notre Dame and Amana Living Board member
