Here’s what’s hot in professional development

Mental health and personality disorders, emotional intelligence and the shift from a traditional care model to an enabling one are amongst this year’s top professional development areas for aged-care workers.

Mental health and personality disorders in older people are the current focus for the ANMF’s Aged Care Training Room. Debra Shearman, director of Aged Care Learning Solutions, is involved in the learning activities in the training room. She says it’s important for aged-care workers to understand a range of mental health issues beyond those typically focused on.

“Often older people with mental illness, including personality disorders, may have been institutionalised, have a history of abuse as children, and have a heightened mistrust of healthcare professionals," she says. “Aged-care workers need to be aware of these issues, so they can deliver safe and respectful care that focuses on how these older people want to be cared for, and more importantly, how they want to live their lives."

Nursing Review spoke with Shearman about the professional development areas the ANMF has prioritised over the past year and details what aged-care workers will need to focus on in the next 12 months.

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