title: Current role challenges in New Zealand aged residential care: the potential consequences for healthcare assistant role expansion.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Challenges facing healthcare assistants in aged residential care are a focus of global debate. These challenges involve remuneration, education, skill mix, work conditions and organisational structures.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We enter the discussion by acknowledging current work, education and remuneration for healthcare assistants. We then consider the supervisory relationships between registered nurses (RNs), enrolled nurses (ENs) and healthcare assistants, educational levels for RNs, ENs and healthcare assistants, and the interplay between organisation and practice in aged residential care. We suggest that improving work for the healthcare assistant has the potential to lead change in all role levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  Discussion paper.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We argue that adjustments to work structures, education and skill advancement of RNs, ENs and healthcare assistants could improve staff working conditions and clarify practice boundaries. The ultimate result is likely to be an improvement to quality of care and the life of residents in aged residential care.
authors.affiliation: a School of Clinical Sciences , Auckland University of Technology , Private Bag 92006, Auckland 1142 , New Zealand.
authors.forename: Kay
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shannon
authors.affiliation: a School of Clinical Sciences , Auckland University of Technology , Private Bag 92006, Auckland 1142 , New Zealand.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: McKenzie-Green
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000488:Allied Health Personnel / Q000592:standards*; D005851:Geriatric Nursing / Q000592:standards*; D006707:Homes for the Aged / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D009520:New Zealand; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000458:organization & administration*
keywords: aged care; healthcare assistant; nursing; nursing homes; older people; scope of practice; skill mix; workforce