Aged care core component in undergraduate nursing curricula : principles paper, report prepared for the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing, Canberra

The predicted future population profile of Australia reveals a progressively ageing population and highlights the demand for services to meet the health care needs of older people. In response to this demand the Australian Government commissioned the Aged Care Component in Undergraduate Nursing Curricula Project to develop principles for a core component of aged care in undergraduate nursing curricula. The Aged Care Core Component in Undergraduate Nursing Curricula Principles Paper was developed in 2003 in consultation with representatives from Schools of Nursing in Australian universities, the aged care sector, aged care professional associations, professional nursing associations and consumer associations. The principles paper outlines the core values and learning outcomes for aged care education within undergraduate nursing curricula; principles for the learning and teaching of aged care content; benchmarks for the inclusion of aged care content; appropriate resources to support the principles and recommended future strategies to facilitate the implementation of the principles. An Australia wide dissemination program for the principles paper has been in progress in 2004 and a number of implementation strategies identified. This paper will provide an outline of the principles paper, recommended implementation strategies and current progress towards implementation of the principles