Last Updated on June 14, 2016
An increasing number of innovative nursing assistant roles have started to develop throughout the sector. Supporting senior care workers to become nursing assistants can tackle the shortage of nurses in care homes, improve the quality of care for residents, and support career development and retention.
A new report by the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) has evaluated HC-One’s Care Assistant Development Programme (CADP). The programme, which has received Royal College of Nursing Accreditation, consists of blended face-to-face and e-learning, ongoing assessment, and mentoring support from a qualified nurse.
SCIE’s independent evaluation of the programme found that:
- Retention rates are high – with 97% completion rate.
- Nursing assistants say the programme prepared them well for their new roles, the nurse mentor role is a valuable element of the programme, with 89% of nursing assistants surveyed saying they felt supported by their nurse mentor.
- Residents receive greater consistency of care, more person-centred care and more timely and responsive care due to increased capacity across the home.
- Early communication with residents and qualified nursing staff can alleviate any concerns or confusion over the new role.
The evaluation report, which was commissioned by HC-One, said, 'In the first year of its implementation our [SCIE’s] evaluation findings paint a positive picture overall of a well-planned programme that continues to be refined and developed. The overall learning and development package is regarded as a key programme asset and nursing assistants rate their training highly as preparing them for their role. The face-to-face learning and development programme in particular was highlighted for providing a quality learning experience.'
SCIE’s Chief Executive, Tony Hunter, said, 'We were pleased to conduct this evaluation because any initiative that can improve the lives of care home residents, whilst at the same time creating exciting career opportunities for care staff, is worth focusing on. The evaluation looks at the programme’s first year and I hope that the project continues to thrive and offers insights to how other nursing homes can respond to capacity issues.'
HC-One’s Chairman Dr Chai Patel said, 'In response to the acute shortage of nurses in recent years, HC-One developed the Care Assistant Development Programme in conjunction with the Royal College of Nursing. This has created excellent new opportunities for carers to develop their skills and begin a new journey of personal development, as well as meeting the sector’s skills gap within the context of a changing demography in health and social care needs.'
HC-One’s Care Assistant Development programme (CADP) aims to develop senior carers into nursing assistants, trained up to assist with medication and care planning. The programme enables newly-trained nursing assistants to support registered nurses, taking on some of the nurse-related tasks that nurses have predominantly done. This also works towards improving the quality of care provided to residents, and encourages care workers to take on a more fulfilling role helping them to progress their careers.