Staying the course: facility and profession retention among nursing assistants in nursing homes.
OBJECTIVE
High turnover rates among nursing assistants (NAs) in nursing homes have costly implications for facility operation and quality, and low rates of NA profession retention can deplete the stock of experienced staff. This study assessed the extent to which the same factors are associated with NAs' intent to leave a particular job versus the NA profession.


METHODS
We used data for 2,328 NAs from the 2004 National Nursing Assistant Survey to model (a) two measures of facility retention (whether NAs expected to leave their current job within 1 year and whether they were also searching for a new job); and (b) NA profession retention, measured by whether NAs did not expect their next job to be as an NA.


RESULTS
Substantially different factors affected facility versus profession retention. Facility characteristics (including supervisor qualities, training/safety, and benefits) primarily affected facility retention, whereas NA profession retention was negatively associated with income and education.


CONCLUSIONS
Facilities can implement specific actions to retain NAs, though such policies may have a limited effect on retention in the profession. Broader enhancements of career opportunities may be necessary for profession retention, though balance between retention and promotion may be important.
Health Policy and Administration, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, McGavran-Greenberg, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7411, USA. sally_stearns@unc.edu
Sally C
SC
Stearns
Laura P
LP
D'Arcy
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009732:Nursing Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010563:Personnel Turnover / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*