SMART CONTINENCE EDUCATION MEANS A SKILLED WORKFORCE TO PROVIDE BEST CARE
The workforce needs:
- Training, education and confidence to make continence assessments
- Ability to development Continence SMART Care (CSC) plans
- Ability to implement, monitor and review Continence SMART Care plans
CONTINENCE SMART CARE EDUCATION
Educational resources will explore the 10 CSC principles and how they apply to all of the stakeholders providing residential aged care. Additional clinical modules will help to address key practice concepts around CSC. Educational resources currently in development will equip staff with the confidence to develop, implement and review a clinically informed continence care plan as well as other highly relevant education material. This is an excellent investment for aged care service providers, effectively raising the standard of best practice continence care.
The online education program introduces the concepts of timely, responsive, inclusive, and respectful continence care, and includes practical strategies to consider when planning care for a consumer to either prevent the onset of bowel and bladder symptoms, restore bladder and bowel function, or manage bowel and bladder dysfunction, including at the end of life.
The ten principles of CSC are the core foundation upon which the education modules are based. Each module addresses these ten principles individually, providing case scenarios and interactive learning tools designed to support their implementation in practice.
The education resources are devised to provide aged care sector staff with the knowledge and skills to provide evidence-based, safe, clinically informed, person-centred continence care that optimises a consumer’s functional abilities and responds to their individual needs, choices, and dignity.
Engaging with the education program will help aged care providers to meet their obligations under the Aged Care Quality Standards and aim for five-star rating of their aged care service by the Australian Government.
benefits to workforce
- Staff feel valued, skilled and educated and understand their role in shared care
- More responsive to the changing needs of consumers
- Competency gaps are addressed through investment in education and training
- Workforce planning alights staff and their skills to continence care, service delivery frameworks, and consumers' needs and expectations
- Provides professional development