Central Queensland University has received a $310,000 grant to attract 80 aged care nurses back into the work force.

Recognising a national shortage of nurses working in aged care, the Federal Government, through the Royal College of Nursing, allocated the substantial funding to CQU.

The grant will enable 80 students to enrol in CQU’s and CQIT’s nursing re-entry programs with their fees covered by federal funding. It will also provide additional academic and administrative support for the programs.

Chairman of Aged Care Queensland (Central Queensland branch) Gordon Kerkham believes with the grant, the re-entry programs offered by CQU and CQIT will alleviate the burdens of a system stretched to its limits.

“It is a God send,” said Mr Kerkham said. “There is a massive shortage of RNs (registered nurses) in the sector”.

“There are huge populations of highly dependent frail aged people in nursing homes and hostels who require a lot of nursing care and we haven’t got the people on the floor,” explained Mr Kerkham.

“We are at a crisis point ... we need registered nurses as they are critical to the high standard of care we are trying to maintain.

CQU’s re-entry program, is a distance-learning program designed to ease the national heath industry crises, and is administered nationally and internationally by Central Queensland University (with Central Queensland Institute of TAFE and the Queensland Nursing Council).

Students throughout the state, in regional and remote areas, will be able to quickly update their credentials after an extended absence from work and be immediately employed at an aged care facility.

Coordinator for the Competence Assessment Service (CQU’s re-entry program) Jenny Anastasi said there were hundreds of previously registered nurses throughout Queensland who want to come back to the workforce, but they were often deterred by the costs and red tape associated with re-entry.

“There are aged care nursing vacancies now and with this funding windfall there is no better time to get back to work,” Ms Anastasi said. The re-entry program usually costs the student up to $3200, depending on the number of modules undertaken.

“Nurses who want to come back, should not underestimate their ability to do what they do well, even if they have been out of the working environment for a while.

The program consists of three theory modules and one clinical practice placement and assessment, with students taking an average of eight to nine months to complete. Alternatively, qualified applicants who pass assessment exams are not required to enrol in theory modules.

Mandatory clinical placements are arranged in existing health care facilities, in or near the towns where the student lives.

Students also have the opportunity to work as assistants in nursing while completing their studies.

The University will begin a publicity tour of the state spreading the word to the hundreds of previously registered nurses in Queensland next month.

Above: Jenny Anastasi tells the media about the $310,000 windfall for the aged care sector.

Left: Chairman of Aged Care Queensland (Central Queensland branch) Gordon Kerkham, Coordinator for the Competence Assessment Service Jenny Anastasi, Mercy Aged Care's Lindsay Farley and Mercy Aged Care's Dave Bowman at Blue Care last week.