AIGNA conference highlights that registered nurses are crucial to the quality of life of older people in residential care settings in Ireland
The All-Ireland Gerontological Nurses Association (AIGNA) held its 2nd Annual Conference in Limerick on 3rd June. Speaking at the conference, Dr Hazel Heath, Independent Nurse Consultant and internationally recognised expert in nursing older people presented the initial findings of AIGNA commissioned research into the role of the registered nurse in residential care settings for older people in Ireland.
Dr Heath said “in some case examples that I observed in the research, registered nurses were doing much more than (for example) doing a drug round, but whilst doing this they were managing the care environment, were helping care attendants prioritise their work, were identifying deficits in care delivery, were assessing residents health and care needs, were managing risks and were ensuring that families needs were paid attention to”.
She continued that “the methods available to decision-makers to evaluate the role of the registered nurse are inadequate at capturing the complexity of decisions and actions that registered nurses engage in when doing apparently ‘simple’ tasks”.
Responding to Dr Heath, Mary J Foley, Vice-President of AIGNA and an expert nurse said, it is clear from this research and others that older people in our residential care settings have highly complex health care needs and they need highly skilled and knowledgeable nursing. Without this we are in danger of putting people’s lives at risk”.
Professor Brendan McCormack, President of AIGNA and a leading gerontological nursing researcher from the University of Ulster said, “for too long we have allowed the role of the registered nurse in residential care settings for older people to be eroded to a series of tasks. Dr Heath’s research highlights the complexity of the role and the need for registered nursing. However, we need to ensure that registered nurses stop seeing their role as that of doing tasks and embrace new models of care delivery that focus on the older person and their family rather than tasks”.
Professor McCormack emphasised that it is essential that policy makers take note of these findings as we move towards a ‘social model’ of care in Ireland.
NOTE TO EDITORS
AIGNA is a national association representing the voices of nurses on the Island of Ireland who work with older people.
AIGNA focuses on influencing policy and strategy that impact on the lives of older people and nurses who work with them in order to promote healthy ageing and well-being.
AIGNA has a clear strategy that focuses on leading knowledge, maximising potential of nurses and working together to improve services for older people.
For further information contact, Professor Brendan McCormack – 00447545420277 or the AIGNA Office, Block 36, St Finbarr’s Hospital, Douglas Road, Cork