Residential Aged Care clinical pathways

Holding hands

Welcome to the Queensland Health suite of clinical pathways, developed to support decision making by Registered Nurses and General Practitioners (GPs) caring for residents of aged care facilities and to guide referral to Queensland Health Residential Aged Care Facility (RACF) acute care Support Services (RaSS). Please read the How to use the pathways and Conditions of use and copyright prior to implementing any of the clinical pathways. It is vital to note that these pathways should never replace clinical judgement and clinicians should always remain within their scope of practice.

How to use the pathways
Conditions of use and copyright
Clinical pathway development process
RACF resident assessment tools
Hospital and Health Service contact information

Pathways

Core pathways

Recognition of the deteriorating resident                                                                           View online pathwayView PDF flowchart (PDF 232 kB)
Management of residents with unstable vital signs View online pathwayView PDF flowchart (PDF 458 kB)
Checklist for contacting a GP or RaSS View online pathwayView PDF checklist (PDF 123 kB)

Stem pathways

Anaemia  View online pathwayView PDF flowchart (PDF 520 kB)
Acute respiratory infection View online pathwayView PDF flowchart (PDF 356 kB)
Management of COVID-19 exposure or outbreak in residential aged care facility View PDF flowchart
Behaviours of concern View online pathwayView PDF flowchart (PDF 159 kB)
Cellulitis View online pathwayView PDF flowchart (PDF 667 kB)
Chest pain View online pathwayView PDF flowchart (PDF 193 kB)
Chronic obstruction pulmonary disease (COPD) View online pathwayView PDF flowchart (PDF 185 kB)
Chronic wound assessment and management View online pathwayView PDF flowchart (PDF 1196 kB)
Congestive cardiac failure (CCF) View online pathwayView PDF flowchart (PDF 179 kB)
Constipation View online pathwayView PDF flowchart (PDF 175 kB)
Deep venous thrombosis (DVT) Coming soon
Dehydration and subcutaneous fluids View online pathwayView PDF flowchart (PDF 264 kB)
End of life management View online pathway View PDF flowchart (PDF 158 kB)
Falls View online pathwayView PDF flowchart (PDF 550 kB)
Fever or suspected infection View online pathwayView PDF flowchart (PDF 413 kB)
Gastroenteritis View online pathway View PDF flowchart (PDF 753 kB)
High blood pressure (BP) View online pathwayView PDF flowchart (PDF 179 kB)
Hyperglycaemia View online pathway View PDF flowchart (PDF 753 kB)
Hypoglycaemia View online pathway View PDF flowchart (PDF 753 kB)
New or worsened confusion View online pathwayView PDF flowchart (PDF 229 kB)
Pain View online pathwayView PDF flowchart (PDF 186 kB)
Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube: troubleshooting a blocked PEG Coming soon
Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube: troubleshooting a leaking PEG Coming soon
Pneumonia View online pathwayView PDF flowchart (PDF 553 kB)
Shortness of breath (SOB) View online pathwayView PDF flowchart (PDF 174 kB)
Tracheostomy and laryngectomy emergencies View online pathwayView PDF flowchart (PDF 430 kB)
Urinary catheter insertion or change View online pathwayView PDF flowchart (PDF 1405 kB)
Urinary catheter (IDC or SPC): trouble-shooting a blocked catheter View online pathwayView PDF flowchart (PDF 1097 kB)
Urinary tract infection (UTI) View online pathwayView PDF flowchart (PDF 446 kB)

Last updated: 14 June 2023