La Trobe University has secured a $3.8 million funding injection to boost the skills of thousands of nurses working Victorian residential aged care homes as part of a $144 million Commonwealth investment in the state over four years.
La Trobe’s Australian Centre for Evidence-Based Aged Care will use the funding to deliver a series of free three-day workshops designed to upskill nurses in conducting comprehensive health assessments and help support early intervention, reduce hospital admissions and facilitate hospital discharges.
The grant supports 140 workshops over three years from August 2025, with hopes to reach up to 2,800 aged care nurses.
ACEBAC director Professor Deirdre Fetherstonhaugh said it was the fifth time La Trobe had successfully won government support for its health assessment program, which has delivered 190 workshops to aged care nurses and supported the development of evidence-based resources since 2011.
“Comprehensive health assessment training significantly improves both confidence and knowledge among nurses caring for older people. This enhanced knowledge allows them to make more accurate assessments and informed decisions, ultimately improving resident outcomes,” Professor Fetherstonhaugh said.
“This ensures our nurses are well-equipped and supported to meet the growing demands of Victoria’s aged care sector.”
The Comprehensive Health Assessment of the Older Person workshops include skills development in:
- clinical reasoning and general assessment skills
- communication of assessment – professional issues
- musculoskeletal assessment
- nutrition, metabolism and elimination assessment
- cardiovascular assessment
- respiratory assessment
- cognitive and perceptual assessment
- psychosocial assessment.
La Trobe Vice-Chancellor Professor Theo Farrell said the funding would support the university’s plan to address Victoria’s health workforce crisis by adding to the existing $170 million investment across health teaching, research and innovation.
“Government support is crucial to meet the growing needs of our aged care workforce and this helps solidify our position as the partner of choice for health professional clinical education,” Professor Farrell said.
Dhelkaya Health Castlemaine campus clinical nurse educator and CHAOP training participant Janice Kebede described the workshop she attended in July 2024 in Bendigo as an “outstanding” experience.
“The material was comprehensive and easy to understand, and the facilitator was warm, knowledgeable, and incredibly generous with her time. She showed great sensitivity to each participant’s abilities, creating an inclusive environment where no question felt too simple or insignificant,” she said.
“Throughout the entire program, I never felt out of place or lacking – only supported and encouraged. I would highly recommend this course to everyone, from those just starting out in nursing to more experienced professionals like myself who may be seeking a refresher. The insights I gained have been directly applicable in my nursing practice since completing the course, which further underscores the program’s value.”
Find out more about the free workshops here.
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