Implementing a gerontological nursing competencies programme in aged care: Participant experiences

Victoria Traynor; Nicole Britten; Diane Gibson; Stephanie Munk; Lynn Chenoweth; Jolan Stokes; Tracey Moroney; Karen Strickland; Toni Donaghy; Kasia Bail

doi:10.1111/inr.13034

Implementing a gerontological nursing competencies programme in aged care: Participant experiences

Victoria Traynor
, Nicole Britten
, Diane Gibson
, Stephanie Munk
, Lynn Chenoweth
, Jolan Stokes
, Tracey Moroney
, Karen Strickland
, Toni Donaghy
, Kasia Bail

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

11 Citations (Scopus)

29 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Aims: To explore the experience of registered nurses and their mentors in the implementation of the Gerontological Nursing Competencies in long-term aged care and the perceived effectiveness and suitability of the programme to support nurse development. Background: The global population is ageing and needs a reliable aged-care nursing workforce. Introduction: Opportunities for education and mentorship for newly qualified and experienced aged-care nurses warrant investigation. Methods: Qualitative evaluation using semi-structured focus groups was conducted following the implementation of the programme into five not-for-profit long-term aged-care organisations and analysed by a reflexive qualitative thematic approach and reported according to COREQ criteria. Results: A total of 21 nurses (7 mentors and 14 mentees) participated in six focus groups. Five themes were generated: (1) nurses gained confidence and competence through the programme; (2) the facilitation of suitable mentoring activities and approaches was crucial to success; (3) the programme helps nurses recognise gerontology as a specialty; (4) the programme contributes to building a strategy of recruitment/retention/quality improvement in the sector; (5) barriers, challenges, changes and recommendations were identified. Discussion: The Gerontological Nursing Competency model, which combined adaptive mentoring supported by reflective practice embedded in a gerontological nursing competencies framework, was perceived to improve nurse confidence and competence to lead and improve nursing standards of care. Conclusion and implications for nursing and health policy: The evidence-based competencies are an acceptable and effective method for supporting gerontological nurse development. Expansion of, and accessibility to, the programme may aid global responses to aged-care reform, by building the recognition of gerontological nursing as a specialty and contributing towards recruitment, retention and quality care improvements.

Original language	English
Article number	e13034
Pages (from-to)	1-17
Number of pages	17
Journal	International Nursing Review
Volume	72
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/inr.13034
Publication status	Published - Jun 2025

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Cite this

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title = "Implementing a gerontological nursing competencies programme in aged care: Participant experiences",

abstract = "Aims: To explore the experience of registered nurses and their mentors in the implementation of the Gerontological Nursing Competencies in long-term aged care and the perceived effectiveness and suitability of the programme to support nurse development. Background: The global population is ageing and needs a reliable aged-care nursing workforce. Introduction: Opportunities for education and mentorship for newly qualified and experienced aged-care nurses warrant investigation. Methods: Qualitative evaluation using semi-structured focus groups was conducted following the implementation of the programme into five not-for-profit long-term aged-care organisations and analysed by a reflexive qualitative thematic approach and reported according to COREQ criteria. Results: A total of 21 nurses (7 mentors and 14 mentees) participated in six focus groups. Five themes were generated: (1) nurses gained confidence and competence through the programme; (2) the facilitation of suitable mentoring activities and approaches was crucial to success; (3) the programme helps nurses recognise gerontology as a specialty; (4) the programme contributes to building a strategy of recruitment/retention/quality improvement in the sector; (5) barriers, challenges, changes and recommendations were identified. Discussion: The Gerontological Nursing Competency model, which combined adaptive mentoring supported by reflective practice embedded in a gerontological nursing competencies framework, was perceived to improve nurse confidence and competence to lead and improve nursing standards of care. Conclusion and implications for nursing and health policy: The evidence-based competencies are an acceptable and effective method for supporting gerontological nurse development. Expansion of, and accessibility to, the programme may aid global responses to aged-care reform, by building the recognition of gerontological nursing as a specialty and contributing towards recruitment, retention and quality care improvements.",

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year = "2025",

month = jun,

doi = "10.1111/inr.13034",

language = "English",

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T1 - Implementing a gerontological nursing competencies programme in aged care

T2 - Participant experiences

AU - Traynor, Victoria

AU - Britten, Nicole

AU - Gibson, Diane

AU - Munk, Stephanie

AU - Chenoweth, Lynn

AU - Stokes, Jolan

AU - Moroney, Tracey

AU - Strickland, Karen

AU - Donaghy, Toni

AU - Bail, Kasia

N1 - © 2024 The Author(s). International Nursing Review published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Council of Nurses. Publisher Copyright: © 2024 The Author(s). International Nursing Review published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Council of Nurses.

PY - 2025/6

Y1 - 2025/6

N2 - Aims: To explore the experience of registered nurses and their mentors in the implementation of the Gerontological Nursing Competencies in long-term aged care and the perceived effectiveness and suitability of the programme to support nurse development. Background: The global population is ageing and needs a reliable aged-care nursing workforce. Introduction: Opportunities for education and mentorship for newly qualified and experienced aged-care nurses warrant investigation. Methods: Qualitative evaluation using semi-structured focus groups was conducted following the implementation of the programme into five not-for-profit long-term aged-care organisations and analysed by a reflexive qualitative thematic approach and reported according to COREQ criteria. Results: A total of 21 nurses (7 mentors and 14 mentees) participated in six focus groups. Five themes were generated: (1) nurses gained confidence and competence through the programme; (2) the facilitation of suitable mentoring activities and approaches was crucial to success; (3) the programme helps nurses recognise gerontology as a specialty; (4) the programme contributes to building a strategy of recruitment/retention/quality improvement in the sector; (5) barriers, challenges, changes and recommendations were identified. Discussion: The Gerontological Nursing Competency model, which combined adaptive mentoring supported by reflective practice embedded in a gerontological nursing competencies framework, was perceived to improve nurse confidence and competence to lead and improve nursing standards of care. Conclusion and implications for nursing and health policy: The evidence-based competencies are an acceptable and effective method for supporting gerontological nurse development. Expansion of, and accessibility to, the programme may aid global responses to aged-care reform, by building the recognition of gerontological nursing as a specialty and contributing towards recruitment, retention and quality care improvements.

AB - Aims: To explore the experience of registered nurses and their mentors in the implementation of the Gerontological Nursing Competencies in long-term aged care and the perceived effectiveness and suitability of the programme to support nurse development. Background: The global population is ageing and needs a reliable aged-care nursing workforce. Introduction: Opportunities for education and mentorship for newly qualified and experienced aged-care nurses warrant investigation. Methods: Qualitative evaluation using semi-structured focus groups was conducted following the implementation of the programme into five not-for-profit long-term aged-care organisations and analysed by a reflexive qualitative thematic approach and reported according to COREQ criteria. Results: A total of 21 nurses (7 mentors and 14 mentees) participated in six focus groups. Five themes were generated: (1) nurses gained confidence and competence through the programme; (2) the facilitation of suitable mentoring activities and approaches was crucial to success; (3) the programme helps nurses recognise gerontology as a specialty; (4) the programme contributes to building a strategy of recruitment/retention/quality improvement in the sector; (5) barriers, challenges, changes and recommendations were identified. Discussion: The Gerontological Nursing Competency model, which combined adaptive mentoring supported by reflective practice embedded in a gerontological nursing competencies framework, was perceived to improve nurse confidence and competence to lead and improve nursing standards of care. Conclusion and implications for nursing and health policy: The evidence-based competencies are an acceptable and effective method for supporting gerontological nurse development. Expansion of, and accessibility to, the programme may aid global responses to aged-care reform, by building the recognition of gerontological nursing as a specialty and contributing towards recruitment, retention and quality care improvements.

KW - Aged care

KW - Australia

KW - education

KW - geriatrics

KW - gerontology

KW - nurses

KW - nursing home

KW - patient safety

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SN - 0020-8132

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SP - 1

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JO - International Nursing Review

JF - International Nursing Review

IS - 2

M1 - e13034

ER -

Implementing a gerontological nursing competencies programme in aged care: Participant experiences

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