Improving the quality of nurse assistants in nursing homes: report of an attending physician survey and an AMDA Symposium.
OBJECTIVE
To describe views of attending physicians regarding nurse assistants as part of a multidisciplinary seminar on nurse assistants at the 1997 American Medical Directors Association (AMDA) Annual Symposium.


METHODS
Mailed survey.


METHODS
AMDA members.


METHODS
Attitudes regarding nurse assistants and the role of attending physicians with regard to enhancing the role of nurse assistants.


RESULTS
Respondents rated the importance of quality nurse assistants with a mean of 4.85 and a mode of 5 (5 being very important). They also thought it was important for the medical director attending physicians to support, train, or otherwise assist in the professional development of nurse assistants (mean 4.07, mode 5). Respondents recommended enhanced training, reduced workload, increased salary and benefits, and building more effective relationships as strategies for improving the quality of care provided by nurse assistants.


CONCLUSIONS
Physicians can be important in enhancing the role of the nursing assistant. Some activities may include acknowledging the nurse assistant, providing support and feedback, and supporting policy changes that enhance continuity, nonhierarchical management, and creative training programs.
Zweig
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Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Missouri, Columiba 65212, USA. Zweigs@missouri.edu
Lawhorne
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