About this project

In the UK, approximately half a million older people live in nursing and care homes. The sector now provides more beds than NHS hospitals, for a predominantly older population, with increasingly complex healthcare needs. Ensuring older people can access ‘good’ nursing care in care homes is crucial. 

Funded by and in partnership with the RCN Foundation, researchers in the Department of Health Sciences at the University of York are carrying out research into care and nursing homes.  The aim of the project is to identify and map key issues in relation to the care and professional development needs of nursing staff employed in care homes.  The findings from this work will inform the RCN Foundation's discussions of where and how any future project grants could potentially make the most impact on this important area of nursing practice.

This planned project is comprised of a series of linked objectives to explore and appreciate gaps in understanding about:

• the characteristics of the registered nursing workforce in care home settings;
• the extent to which nurse education programmes prepare registered nurses for a role in care home environments and the continuing professional development needs of nursing staff in this sector;
• opportunities (current or planned) by care home providers to support career aspirations of the nursing workforce; and
• any nursing innovations or developments (including new nursing roles) to support care for older people in care homes.

The research will use multiple methods to assess the current situation and to understand the areas considered to be future priorities for the professional development needs of nursing staff in care homes.  The team are keen to engage with care home provider organisations, care home senior nurses, managers and nursing staff, commissioners and policy makers, as well as nurse education providers. 

This project is funded for 6 months and will deliver outputs by the end of 2014.  As the project develops, the research team will share their work via this blog.  Please revisit us, sign up for email alerts or follow us on Twitter @nursincarehomes or if you have any comments or suggestions you could email us at nursingincarehomes@gmail.com