Nursing Practice Standard Report: Aged Care - [University Name]

This report focuses on a nursing practice standard within the context of aged care, addressing the challenges and improvements in the Australian healthcare system. It begins by highlighting the increasing life expectancy of people and the need for healthcare strategies to address the needs of the elderly population. The report discusses the services provided, including aged care homes, domestic assistance, and nutritional care, as well as the importance of medication safety. The main concern discussed is medication administration errors, which significantly impact the healthcare system, leading to hospital admissions and substantial financial costs. The report aims to identify loopholes in current practices, and to introduce new and improved practices. The assignment references government reports and research papers on aged care and medication errors within the Australian healthcare system. The report's goal is to improve the care provided to elderly patients, and reduce the number of medication errors that occur within the Australian healthcare system.

Running head: NURSING ASSIGNMENT
NURSING ASSIGNMENT
Name of the student
Name of the university
Author note

1NURSING ASSIGNMENT
Background
Advancement in the healthcare interventions and facilities has increased the life
expectancy of people and people are living longer and due to this, the healthcare system are
including aspects so that the healthcare needs of these elderly patients could be addressed
(Poulton, Barnes & Clarke, 2018). The Australian government has also developed its
healthcare strategies and provisions for the aged population so that the services could be
provided to the elder patients effectively (Safetyandquality.gov.au, 2019). These services
include aged care homes, domestic assistance, diet and nutritional care, physical activity
related assistance and meal preparation (Health.gov.au, 2019). Further, services related to
contingency management. Flexibility and mobility and social support are also provided to the
patients so that they could be provided with health and wellbeing.
Despite continuous growth and development in the aged care facilities, medication
administration error is a major concern for the healthcare facilities as the Australian
healthcare sector is suffering from the negative consequences of medication administration
related errors (Health.gov.au, 2019). The rate of medication error in Australian aged care
system is 2% to 3% and every year 230,000 hospital admissions were caused by the
medication administration related errors (Safetyandquality.gov.au, 2019). Due to this
complication, the Australian government spent more than $1.2 billion and hence, it is
considered as one of the primary aspects that should be included in the Australian healthcare
facility to provide effective care to the patients (Safetyandquality.gov.au, 2019). However,
the legislations and policies of the Australian healthcare system is inclusive of loopholes so
that people could be provided with effective

2NURSING ASSIGNMENT
In this paper, discussion about one such practice standard developed for the aged care
practices would be discussed so that the present loopholes and weak links in the practice
could be identified and new and developed practices could be introduced.
References
Health.gov.au. (2019). Department of Health - Ageing and aged care. Retrieved 24 August
2019, from https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/budget/publishing.nsf/Content/
budget2018-t-ageing-and-aged-care
Poulton, E., Barnes, L., & Clarke, F. (2018). The Alzheimer's Approach to Financial
Disclosure: The Case of Australian Residential Aged Care Providers.
Safetyandquality.gov.au. (2019). Department of Health - Ageing and aged care. Retrieved 24
August 2019, from https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/media_releases/australia-
joins-international-push-to-halve-medication-errors