'Values', 'Motivation' and 'Fit' in Aged Care Nursing: Understanding the Core Positive Work Values of Registered Nurses Working in Residential Aged Care Facilities in Regional Queensland

'Values', 'Motivation' and 'Fit' in Aged Care Nursing: Understanding the Core Positive Work Values of Registered Nurses Working in Residential Aged Care Facilities in Regional Queensland

Aged care Registered Nurses (RNs) are an important and valuable workforce for Australian Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACFs). They are the frontline workforce for older Australians living in these facilities. Instead of the common focus on aged care RN turnover factors, this research approaches the RN aged care workforce from a different perspective; aiming to understand more about the positive work motivations experienced by aged care RNs in Australian regional areas.

By conducting one-on-one qualitative interviews with 11 participants, this research established an early understanding of the aged care RNs' core work values and motivations, and how these values affected their work choices. Although the research sample was small, the researcher tried to present each aged care RN's true views and opinions by encouraging them to draw back on their own work and life experiences.

After carefully coding and analysing the qualitative data with the Thematic Analysis method, this research demonstrates that an individual RN's work values and work motivations help them 'fit' into the aged care sector, as well as 'fit' into the specified aged care nursing career pathway. The research outcomes demonstrate that aged care RNs' 'sector fit' values and motivations include respecting and valuing older people, supporting holistic nursing care at work, desiring the maintenance of patient interaction and enjoying relationship building with the elders, providing comfort care, and feeling privileged for being involved in end-of-life care. Aged care RNs' 'career fit' values and motivations were found to include receiving self-validation through meaningful nursing work, positive feedback at work leading to personal gain and self-acknowledgement of the nurses as an individual, having clear long-term career goals and plans, and desiring a healthy work-life balance.

With regards to work values and motivations, these research findings can assist future nursing researchers in establishing a better connection between aged care RNs' work values and staff retention in the Australian aged care industry. The new understandings gained from this research provide basic knowledge related to aged care RNs' views about their profession. This knowledge can be used by Australian aged care organisations to improve RN recruiting processes, thus attracting and retaining more RNs to the aged care sector. This study suggests that additional training for RNs with leadership goals can be beneficial for the individual aged care RN as well as organisations providing aged care services. Aged care RNs with positive intrinsic work values and motivations will lead to positive changes for the Australian aged care sector in the near future.

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