title: The influence of consistent assignment on nursing home deficiency citations.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The association of consistent assignment of nurse aides (NAs) with quality of care and quality of life of nursing home residents is examined (using 5 groups of deficiency citations).
  
  
  METHODS
  Data used came from a survey of nursing home administrators, the Online Survey Certification and Reporting data, and the Area Resource File. The information including consistent assignment and staffing variables of registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and NAs were measured in 2007 and came from 3,941 facilities. Negative binomial regression and multivariate logistic regression models were used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An average of 68% of nursing homes in this sample reported using consistent assignment. However, the actual level of NA consistent assignment used varied substantially. Only 28% of nursing homes using NA consistent assignment did so at the often recommended level of 85% (or more). In the multivariate analyses, consistent assignment was associated with the deficiency citations examined in 4 of the 5 models. That is, quality of life deficiency citations (resident), quality of life deficiency citations (staffing), quality of life deficiency citations (facility), and quality of care deficiency citations were significantly (p < .01) lower in facilities with the highest levels of consistent NA assignment. Few significant findings were found in nursing homes using lower levels of consistent assignment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Consistent assignment has developed as a preferred practice in nursing homes based on little empirical evidence in the peer-reviewed literature. The findings presented here provide some justification for the use of this staffing practice for NAs.
authors: Department of Health Policy & Management, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, A610 Crabtree Hall, 130 DeSoto Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA. castlen@pitt.edu
authors: Nicholas G
authors: NG
authors: Castle
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016010:Binomial Distribution; D005260:Female; D006707:Homes for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D009728:Nursing Assistants / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D009735:Nursing Homes; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D000078329:Workforce