Investing in leadership to strengthen palliative care in aged care

Care Manager Regina Huang has been awarded a full scholarship through Gold Coast Primary Health Network to pursue the Graduate Certificate in Palliative Care. Here she shares her journey of returning to study while working full-time in aged care.

“The first unit I undertook in the Graduate Certificate in Palliative Nursing was Leadership and Professional Practice. Initially, I was uncertain about the relevance of focusing on leadership and management at the start of the course. However, as I progressed, I gained a deeper understanding of the significance.

I have encountered many nurses who, like me, were unsure about how to effectively deliver palliative care. This uncertainty led me to seek further education and resources to develop the necessary skills for palliative care nursing. Currently, we are facing a high turnover rate in the Residential Aged Care Home (RACH) workforce, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this context, education and mentorship for nurses and staff are essential. They represent the most effective means of improving the quality of care we provide daily.

Additionally, the workforce in most RACHs is multicultural, which requires a tailored approach to leadership. Leadership styles must be adapted to meet the diverse needs of staff. Some cultural backgrounds may find it challenging to discuss palliative care and end-of-life planning. Therefore, providing adequate education and mentorship that considers these cultural differences is crucial to delivering compassionate and culturally sensitive care.

Through ongoing mentorship and training for staff, we can receive valuable feedback and assess our practices based on residents’ and families’ satisfaction. As management, we can bring these issues and opportunities for improvement to stakeholders, which also requires strong leadership and management skills.

Leadership and management skills are essential in this rapidly changing industry. We are constantly faced with new policies, acts and standards that must be fulfilled. Therefore, investing in our staff is fundamental to the industry and critical to providing quality care to our residents.”

Written by Regina Huang