High Turnover of Nurses' Aids Affects Nursing Home Residents

October 20, 2010 (Press-News.org) The medical world has long since recognized the high turnover rate of certified nursing assistants, or nurses' aids, as having a negative impact on long-term care. More than 70 percent of nurses' aids leave the job in a given year. Research shows that nursing homes with high turnover rates for nurses' aids also have a poor quality of care.

The high stress levels causing the high turnover rate are caused by inadequate training, little support, poor benefits and minimal respect from management and superiors. Low wages are also a factor, with an average hourly pay of $10.48. In facilities with high turnover rates, most nurses' aids leave the job within the first three months.

The University of Pittsburgh conducted a study wherein 1,400 nurses' aids were surveyed in 9 month intervals over the course of 24 months. The survey was designed to explore why the turnover rate is so high. The first wave of results showed that the top reason for aids to leave the job is disrespect from management.

"Better Jobs, Better Care" is a $15.5 million research and demonstration program geared toward changing long-term care policy and practice. The program's research shows 55 percent of surveyed care workers wanted to leave the job within the next three years. The program also found that residents were more satisfied in facilities where a higher proportion of nurses' aids were committed to their jobs.

Residents are confused, disoriented and wary when their care givers are constantly rotated with little or no consistency in staff. Surveyed nurses aids' claim that positive aspects of the job include forming personal relationships with residents and becoming their advocates within a facility. With a high turnover rate, residents do not benefit from having an ongoing relationship with a care giver.

Also, in facilities with low turnover rates for nurses' aids, there are fewer cases of bed sores, as well as reduced use of restraints and mood-altering drugs. Bed sores are a serious issue in long-term care facilities, with 23 percent of residents developing bed sores at some time. 8 percent of all deaths in a nursing home are from conditions caused by bed sores like septicemia, infections and gangrene.

For nursing homes to give compassionate and complete long-term care, the industry needs to focus on changing practices to ensure a familiar, knowledgeable nursing aid staff for their residents.

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