22 April 2024

TAFE NSW has helped a Young woman take a critical step in realising her dream of teaching the next generation of aged care workers.

Passionate aged care advocate Jolene Hurst, 46, has worked in the sector for more than two decades and has long harboured ambitions to eventually become an aged care teacher.

In a bid to deepen her clinical and medical knowledge, Ms Hurst last year completed a Diploma of Nursing at TAFE NSW Cootamundra, a move she hopes will better equip her to teach aged care.

She is now working casually as an enrolled nurse at Young District Hospital while continuing her role as quality and clinical education support manager at Southern Cross Care’s South-West Slopes facilities three days a week.

“I’m really passionate about educating the next generation to have the same understanding, compassion and care of the elderly that I have,” Ms Hurst said.

“The Diploma of Nursing has really strengthened my ability to work as a teacher in the future and help support the aged care industry.”

It comes as demand surges for aged care professionals, with a report by the Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA) warning the aged care skills shortage in Australia could reach 110,000 or more in the next decade and 400,000 by 2050.

Ms Hurst said working as an enrolled nurse provided complementary – albeit vastly different - skills for her aged care role.

“Acute care is very different to end-of-life care because you’re treating a diagnosis and symptoms, and helping transition the person back into the community,” she said. “Aged care is more focused on palliative and comfort care.

“The prac days at TAFE NSW were brilliant and very hands on. The teachers are such experts in the field and while the personal care side of the job was second nature to me, it was great to learn the skills clinical reasoning and judgement, disease pathophysiology and practical skills for IV access and things like that.”

TAFE NSW Head Teacher of Nursing Jacqui Longmore said nursing was a growth industry that offered great employment prospects and job satisfaction.

“You get to interact with so many different walks of life and you can make a real difference to them, often when they’re at their worst moment,” she said.  

“If you go to any hospital in the Riverina, you’ll find TAFE NSW graduates providing comfort to patients.” 

The Diploma of Nursing is an 18-month course, with students gaining hands-on experience during clinical placements at local hospitals. The Diploma has two intakes annually at TAFE NSW Cootamundra.

Media contact: Dan Johns, TAFE NSW Communications Specialist, Daniel.johns9@tafensw.edu.au, 0477 722 428