Perspectives from practice: complexities of personal care workers’ education, regulation and practice

Julie-Anne Martyn; Sally Zanella; Adele Wilkinson

doi:10.1071/AH17035

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Perspectives from practice: complexities of personal care workers’ education, regulation and practice

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Perspectives from practice: complexities of personal care workers’ education, regulation and practice

Julie-Anne Martyn, Sally Zanella and Adele Wilkinson

Australian Health Review, Vol.43(2), pp.238-239

2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1071/AH17035

Appears in UniSC Diversity and Inclusion Research Collection

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Abstract

aged care

carer

training

governance

UniSC Diversity Area - Life Stages

Personal care workers (PCWs) make up the bulk of the workforce in residential and community care services. The knowledge and skill set needed for safe and effective practice in care settings is extensive. A diverse range of registered training organisations (RTOs) offering Certificate III and IV in Individual Support (aging, home and community) are tasked with producing job-ready PCWs. However, the curricula of these programs vary. Additionally, a national code of conduct for healthcare workers became effective in October 2015 as a governance framework for PCWs. The language of the code statements is ambiguous making it unclear how this framework should be translated by RTOs and applied in the preservice practice preparation of PCWs. Employers of PCWs need to feel confident that the content of the preservice education of PCWs satisfactorily prepares them for the diverse contexts of their practice. Likewise, the health professionals who supervise PCWs must be assured about the knowledge and skills of the PCW if they are to safely delegate care activities. The perspectives presented in this discussion make it clear that investigation into the nebulous nature of PCW education, regulation and practice is needed to identify the shortcomings and enable improved practice.

Details

Title: Perspectives from practice: complexities of personal care workers’ education, regulation and practice
Authors: Julie-Anne Martyn (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - Faculty of Science, Health, Education and Engineering
Sally Zanella (Author) - Bolton Clarke
Adele Wilkinson (Author) - Bolton Clarke
Publication details: Australian Health Review, Vol.43(2), pp.238-239
Publisher: C S I R O Publishing
Date published: 2019
DOI: 10.1071/AH17035
ISSN: 0156-5788
Organisation Unit: School of Health - Nursing; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; School of Nursing, Midwifery and Paramedicine - Legacy
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99450720302621
Output Type: Journal article

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