Registered Nurse‐Led Assessments in Australian Residential Aged Care Homes: A Scoping Review

ABSTRACT

Aim
To understand the current evidence base regarding holistic nursing assessments performed by registered nurses in residential aged care homes in Australia, and identify the gaps in knowledge and potential areas for future research.

Design
A scoping review informed by JBI guidelines and the PRISMA extension for Scoping Reviews.

Methods
The electronic databases Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, Scopus and ProQuest Central were searched, alongside citation chaining and manual journal searches. Limits of English language and publication after the year 2000 were applied. Studies were screened against pre‐defined eligibility criteria. Data were extracted and analysed using descriptive statistics and a narrative synthesis.

Results
A total of 3987 studies were identified, of which 28 were categorised as comprehensive or multimodal assessment programmes, standalone assessment tools or assessment infrastructure papers. Key outcomes described included staff factors and resident emergency department transfers or hospitalisations. The key feature of existing nursing assessments across studies was education, which was generally associated with improved staff knowledge, confidence and efficiency. Apart from this, there was large heterogeneity among assessment interventions with inconsistent effects. Few studies focused on residents with dementia or palliative care needs.

Conclusion
There is currently no standardised, systematic approach to the holistic assessment of residents by registered nurses in Australia. This gap in assessment is especially evident for residents with dementia or palliative care needs.

Impact
This research highlights the need to develop standardised holistic nursing assessments to bridge this gap in practice.

Patient or Public Contribution
No Patient or Public Contribution.

Topics

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Details

Published: Mar 26, 2025
Vol/Issue: 82(1)
Pages: 81-108
License: View

Authors

L

Laura Bocks

Westmead Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health University of Sydney Westmead New South Wales Australia

C

Catherine Viengkham

Susan Wakil School of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney Camperdown New South Wales Australia; Sydney Infectious Diseases Institute Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney Camperdown New South Wales Australia

M

Merrick Powell

Susan Wakil School of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney Camperdown New South Wales Australia; Sydney Infectious Diseases Institute Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney Camperdown New South Wales Australia

J

Julie Considine

School of Nursing and Midwifery and Centre for Quality and Patient Safety Research in the Centre for Health Transformation, Deakin University Geelong Victoria Australia; Eastern Health Box Hill Victoria Australia

M

Margaret Fry

School of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney Ultimo New South Wales Australia

K

Kate Curtis

Susan Wakil School of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney Camperdown New South Wales Australia; Emergency Services, Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District, Wollongong Hospital Wollongong New South Wales Australia

J

Jo‐Ann Dalton

Hardi Aged Care Blackdown Australia

K

Karen Watson

Susan Wakil School of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney Camperdown New South Wales Australia

B

Brendan McCormack

Susan Wakil School of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney Camperdown New South Wales Australia

M

Mary K. Lam

Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, School of Health and Medical Sciences Bundoora Victoria Australia

M

Moira Dunsmore

Susan Wakil School of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney Camperdown New South Wales Australia

Y

Yun‐Hee Jeon

Susan Wakil School of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney Camperdown New South Wales Australia

R

Richard I. Lindley

Westmead Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health University of Sydney Westmead New South Wales Australia; School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney Camperdown New South Wales Australia

R

Ramon Z. Shaban

Susan Wakil School of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney Camperdown New South Wales Australia; Sydney Infectious Diseases Institute Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney Camperdown New South Wales Australia; Research and Education Network, Western Sydney Local Health District Westmead New South Wales Australia; New South Wales High Consequence Infectious Disease Specialist Service, Westmead Hospital, Western Sydney Local Health District Westmead New South Wales Australia

Cite This Article

Laura Bocks, Catherine Viengkham, Merrick Powell, et al. (2025). Registered Nurse‐Led Assessments in Australian Residential Aged Care Homes: A Scoping Review. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 82(1), 81-108. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.16916

Registered Nurse‐Led Assessments in Australian Residential Aged Care Homes: A Scoping Review

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