Strength in unity
After 37 years working in aged care, EEN Pat Webster has seen some dramatic changes across the industry.
While Pat loves her job today as much as when she first started, she says there are a number of significant and worsening issues which are taking their toll on the residents and those who care for them.
"There are significantly more people with acute illnesses requiring care, but there’s been no increase in staffing levels or any evaluation of the skill mix required," she says.
"Our management told us that they can no longer afford for us to deliver the quality of care that we did in the past.
"We’ve been left with no choice but to deliver only basic and essential care and nothing more.
"Even relatives have told us that the level of care has gone down.
"All aged care nurses want to do is care for our residents completely and to hear this from their relatives is extremely disheartening and frustrating."
Pat says the main cause of this situation is the way government funding is being spent by facilities.
"We have no proof where that money is going but we do know where it’s not," she says.
"It’s not going towards increasing the level of qualified nurses, particularly RNs.
"Employers simply won’t pay for RNs and the poor wages and significant responsibility means RNs don’t want to work in aged care.
"That leaves the rest of us to share the significant workload and to shoulder unreasonable pressures and responsibilities.
"I’m particularly concerned about the young nurses – why should they stay when there are so many reasons to leave?"
Pat says aged care nurses constantly hear excuses from their employers about why there’s not enough money and why they have to simply make do.
"Providers have instilled a sense of fear into their staff so they won’t speak up against this situation," says Pat.
"That’s why our Union’s Because We Care campaign is so important, because it gives us the power and the capacity to stand up and say enough is enough.
"This isn’t just about wages, it’s about the way nurses and our residents are treated – we deserve to be valued and recognised."
Pat says she hopes nurses and midwives from other sectors will show their support for the important campaign.
"Aged care nurses often feel like we work in the forgotten sector," she says.
"To have the support from our colleagues in other sectors would go a long way in valuing the work we do and give us a stronger voice as we call for drastic changes to the industry.
"I love working in aged care and I love to care for the residents who are so appreciative of the care we give them.
"I truly hope that in unity we will have the power to change aged care to ensure our care is of the highest quality."
In pictures: Because We Care Day of Action
In pictures: Because We Care campaign
Shortcuts: Because We Care about aged care
