Applications for 400 scholarships for personal care workers and nurses undertaking vocational, undergraduate and postgraduate courses related to aged care, leadership and management have opened.
There are also 100 scholarships available for allied health professionals to focus on dementia-related post-graduate qualifications under the three-year commonwealth program, which launched last year.
Students are eligible to apply if their course commences or continues in 2023. There is a guaranteed number of scholarships per year for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
All scholarship recipients are eligible for a completion bonus on successfully finishing their course.
Chief nursing and midwifery officer Professor Alison McMillan said the priority of the scholarships is to develop skills for aged care nurses in leadership and clinical management, and to improve expertise in areas such as palliative care, dementia care and infection prevention and control.
“I’d encourage all nurses and aged care workers working in aged care to look at what courses are available and consider applying for study that will support their career in the long term,” Professor McMillan said in a statement.
“Personal care workers interested in becoming an enrolled nurse should consider applying for a scholarship to complete a Diploma of Nursing. Enrolled nurses can apply for a scholarship to complete a Bachelor of Nursing to become a registered nurse,” she said.
For allied health, courses related to aged care including clinical gerontology, behavioural management, dementia, continence and palliative care are eligible in addition to leadership and management courses.
Aged care nurse practitioner Khera said the scholarships changed her life. “The best part about my studies is applying the theories and learnings in the workplace and seeing the positive outcomes.
“The resident might tell you that their symptoms have improved, or their families will thank you for taking the time to listen to their concerns. Finding options to resolve them is very rewarding,” she said.
Aged care associate unit manager Dianne (pictured top) has been in the role for 15 years. She said she was grateful for the scholarships. “Being in a rural and remote area, we need more nurses. If I didn’t get the scholarships, I would not have been able to afford the study otherwise.”
The scholarships are administered by the Australian College of Nursing for the Department of Health and Aged Care, but applicants do not need to be a member of ACN.
Aged care workers are also eligible for other ACN administered scholarships including the Mental Health Nursing and Allied Health Scholarship Program and the Puggy Hunter Memorial Scholarship Scheme, which provides financial assistance to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students completing an undergraduate course.
Applications close on 10 October 2022. More information and application details available on ACN’s website.
Main image: aged care nursing unit manager and scholarship recipient Dianne
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