Use of Unlicensed Assistive Personnel in Australia and NZ

[whichone'spink, BSN, RN]

Hello, I am an American nursing student currently doing research on the use of Unlicensed Assistive Personnel in healthcare. My group's main focus is of course how the use of UAPs affects health care quality in the US, but I also wanted to look at the use of UAPs in other countries such as Canada, the UK, and Australia and NZ.

In the US, we have what is called the Certified Nurse's Assistant (CNA). CNAs can do basic patient care like turning over patients, bathing and grooming, changing bedding, toileting patients and transporting patients. What is the equivalent of the CNA in Australia and NZ, if there is one? What are UAPs allowed to do and how are they regulated? Lastly, what do you think of the use of UAPs? Do you find them to be a boon or do you find them to be awful?

[rachelgeorgina]

In Australia we have what are called Assistants in Nursing. People employed in these positions have either done a six week course at TAFE (technical college) in Aged Care or are nursing students beyond first year level. Their duties generally involve personal care, including personal hygiene, feeding, linen changes, transferring and mobilizing patients etc. AINs are very rarely a part of a ward's general staff in an acute care hospital. They are generally seen in sub-acute and long term care settings such as rehab and nursing homes.