Australian researchers say job stress is forcing many age care workers to leave and is jeopardising the industry.
The researchers from the University of Melbourne warn that almost a third of registered aged care nurses are contemplating quitting their jobs because of job stress, created by excessive workloads, cost cutting, a hostile work environment and competing role demands.
The study was conducted by the Centre for Human Resource Management at the University of Melbourne and the Australian Nursing Federation and it found that registered nurses in Victoria's aged care sector are "emotionally exhausted" and not committed to their workplace.
The study was based on a survey of over 1,000 registered nurses and personal care workers in Victoria last year and also reveals that aged care facilities need to drastically improve their training and human resource management.
Researchers Associate Professor Leisa Sargent, Professor Bill Harley and Ms Belinda Allen say they found that facilities that provide more training, have rigorous recruitment, selection and performance management practices and have developed grievance procedures benefit from staff who have a more positive attitude toward their work and better physical and mental health outcomes.
According to the researchers workers at these facilities also reported that the quality of care provided for residents was better than at facilities where there were poor human resource management practices and high levels of cost cutting in relation to staffing levels.