🩺 The Evolving Landscape of Nursing and Aged Care in Australia – 2025 Update

Australia’s nursing and aged care sectors continue to undergo significant transformation in 2025, shaped by workforce shortages, technological advancements, and updated policy frameworks. At Outright Nursing Care Agency, we remain committed to staying informed and adapting to these changes to provide the highest quality care to our clients

Workforce Pressures and Opportunities

The Australian nursing workforce remains under considerable pressure. A report from the Australian government revealed that if urgent workforce solutions aren't implemented, Australia will face a shortfall of over 100,000 nurses by 2030 (Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care, 2023). To address this, the government continues to invest in incentive programs for nurses in regional and rural areas and support international recruitment.

Additionally, aged care facilities are being encouraged to meet the mandatory 200 care minutes per resident per day, which came into effect in October 2023, with at least 40 of those minutes provided by a registered nurse (Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, 2023).

Mandatory 24/7 Registered Nurse Coverage in Aged Care

Since 1 July 2023, all residential aged care homes are required to have a registered nurse on-site 24/7 (Department of Health and Aged Care, 2023). While this policy improves resident care, it has led to an increased demand for qualified RNs — a challenge that agencies like ours are helping to meet by supplying skilled and compassionate nurses to facilities in need.

Digital Health and AI Integration

In 2025, we’re seeing a growing push toward digital transformation in aged care, including the use of AI-driven care planning tools, electronic medication management systems, and remote monitoring of vital signs. These technologies are designed to reduce administrative burden and allow nurses to spend more time with residents (Australian Digital Health Agency, 2024).

At Outright Nursing Care Agency, we prioritize keeping our team up to date with training on these systems to improve workflow efficiency and enhance patient outcomes.

A Focus on Trauma-Informed and Person-Centered Care

There is increasing emphasis on trauma-informed care in both mental health and aged care settings. The Australian College of Nursing (2024) highlights the importance of this approach in improving patient trust and satisfaction, especially among residents who may have experienced past trauma.

We continue to train our staff in person-centred approaches that uphold dignity, empathy, and cultural competence — values at the core of our care model.

Aged Care Reform and Funding Increases

The 2024–25 Federal Budget allocated an additional $11.3 billion over four years to improve aged care wages, workforce training, and digital systems (Commonwealth of Australia, 2024). These investments aim to attract more workers into the sector and elevate the standard of care provided across the board.

The future of nursing and aged care in Australia is one of both challenge and opportunity. At Outright Nursing Care Agency, we are proud to be part of a profession that is constantly evolving and rising to meet the needs of our communities. We remain committed to providing qualified, compassionate, and up-to-date nursing staff to ensure the very best outcomes for all our clients.

References

• Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission. (2023). Care minutes and 24/7 registered nurse responsibilities. Retrieved from https://www.agedcarequality.gov.au/

• Australian College of Nursing. (2024). Trauma-informed care: Nursing with empathy and awareness. Retrieved from https://www.acn.edu.au

• Australian Digital Health Agency. (2024). Digital transformation in aged care. Retrieved from https://www.digitalhealth.gov.au/

• Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care. (2023). Australia’s future health workforce: Nurses. Retrieved from https://www.health.gov.au/

• Commonwealth of Australia. (2024). 2024–25 Federal Budget Overview. Retrieved from https://budget.gov.au/