Learning on-site changes students’ minds about careers in aged care: study

Programs to train future health professionals delivered in aged care facilities and involving residents can improve student knowledge and change attitudes towards working in the sector, new research shows.

Programs to train future health professionals delivered in aged care facilities and involving residents can improve student knowledge and change attitudes towards working in the sector, new research shows.

In recent years numerous education providers have partnered with aged care organisations to deliver flexible and innovative programs, often involving facility-based learning.

While there has been extensive research on aged care partnerships with universities, few studies have evaluated the potential of these partnerships in the vocational education and training (VET) sector.

But a new study by staff at North Metropolitan TAFE and researchers at the University of Western Australia and the University of Notre Dame found that a work-based learning program improved VET students’ knowledge and insight into aged care.

It reported on a three-year evaluation of students in a Certificate III in Allied Health Assistance course at a Western Australian TAFE who participated in a facility-based learning program.

Of 121 students surveyed, 91 per cent said the experience challenged their way of thinking while 93 per cent reported they felt better prepared to enter the workforce.

Under the program, students studied online and in workshops, and took part in learning activities at the aged care facility. They then developed and delivered a therapy program to the residents.

The learning activities involved practising skills in a simulated environment with peers each morning. The therapy program included group activities such as hand massages, large group cognitive activities and small group reminiscence and games.

“Every session concluded with a shared afternoon tea. After the residents returned to their rooms, students debriefed with the facilitator to discuss the individual and group learning outcomes,” according to the study.

The facility-based learning was spread over 10 weeks so students could slowly build rapport and confidence with the residents.

Results: improved knowledge, attitudes

The study found a positive change in student attitudes towards working with older people, with students sometimes “surprised at how enjoyable and interesting the experience could be.”

There was also a change in attitude towards aged care more broadly, with many students feeling prepared to pursue a career within the industry.

The study found:

“Students had gained greater insight and awareness into the aged care industry and found the experience both positive and enjoyable. They also reported being more confident to enter the aged care workforce.”

The practical opportunities provided by workplace-based learning were preferable to traditional classroom delivery for improving skills and confidence around working with clients, the students reported.

The researchers said their findings warranted further studies using larger populations and including input from supervisors.

The findings were published in the International Journal of Training Research.

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1 thought on “Learning on-site changes students’ minds about careers in aged care: study

  1. Interesting… however there have also been short-term programs in community to attract new workers that have offered experiential learning. While it changed attitudes and improved knowledge about working with older people in community, it also identified that new or potential aged care workers face a number of barriers. These include a lack of organisations’ understanding about their role in supporting new workers, workers’ understanding about their responsibility to the program, young workers’ particular challenges like caring for parents or cultural demands such as death of family member that impedes on their full engagement in the program, English skills, understanding of work in aged care as a profession, costs of education at TAFE and so on.

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