The CPOP program was developed to support final year degree nursing students to engage with the work undertaken by registered nurses. It is anticipated that this engagement will improve the awareness and understanding of the role of the registered nurse in aged care. 

Mentors supporting the students are equipped with additional specialist knowledge regarding gerontological nursing: including content knowledge of dementia, delirium and palliative care, as well as specialist skills in pain and cognitive assessments, supported decision making and dignity of risk.

As the demand for skilled aged care professionals continues to rise, CPOP is changing the quality and quantity of student nursing experiences working with people over age 65 (or 45 for First Nations people). The positive experiences and insights into the complexity of the specialty of gerontological nursing will change the way that nurses approach their career pathways into the future, with more nurses feeling valued and rewarded by working in the gerontological sector.

鈥淚n the hospital, we were allocated different patients for each shift, but here [aged care facility] we get to build a rapport with the residents who we see every day, which has really widened my experience.鈥�

Marcus Goh, Third-year Bachelor of Nursing student.

 
To date, 432 placements have been completed within CPOP with 76 Clinical Facilitators (17 ACT) successfully completing CPOP training. Placements have been hosted in 194 residential aged care settings, 45 in community and 195 in hospital settings. 119 different organisations have hosted CPOP placements across Canberra, Wollongong and Western Australia.

Project Aims

To improve the care of older people by:

1. Focusing on supporting learning of later year nursing students.
2. Facilitated learning in practice by speciality trained clinical facilitators
3. Improving awareness and understanding of the role of the registered nurse in aged care