Search

Purpose: This research applies a stress and support conceptual model to investigate the effects of background characteristics, personal and job-related stressors, and workplace support on direct care workers' (DCW) job satisfaction. Design and Methods: Researchers collected survey data from 644 DCWs in 49 long-term care (LTC) organizations. The DCWs included nurse assistants in nursing homes, resident assistants in assisted living facilities, and home care aides in home health agencies. We examined the influence of components of the LTC stress and support model on DCW job satisfaction. Initially, we ran a multiple regression analysis by entering individual-level DCW predictors with job satisfaction as the outcome. Subsequently, we used hierarchical linear modeling to examine the influence of organizational factors on DCW job satisfaction after controlling for significant individual-level DCW variables. Results: Components of the model explained 51% of the variance in DCW job satisfaction. Background characteristics of DCWs were less important than personal stressors (e.g., depression), job-related stressors (e.g., continuing education), and social support (e.g., interactions with others) in predicting lob satisfaction. Results from hierarchical linear modeling analysis showed that nursing homes compared to the two other types of LTC organizations had lower average DCW job satisfaction rates, as did organizations offering lower minimum hourly rates and those reporting turnover problems. Implications: Study findings underscore the importance of targeting both DCW-level and organizational-level factors to increase DCW job satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Training of direct care workers (DCWs) varies depending upon the setting in which they work and the state in which they are trained. Evidence points to the importance of adequate training as critical to DCW job satisfaction and reduction in turnover. Several approaches have been taken to enhance the training of DCWs with the objective that as job satisfaction increases, the quality of care provided to consumers will also be enhanced. Based on a sample of 644 DCWs across the nursing home, assisted living, and home health settings, we share DCWs' perceptions and recommendations for better training and continuing education. doi:10.1300/J021v28n02_07 [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article discusses resident evaluations of long-term care services within the United States. However, officials from the nursing home industry were concerned that residents with physical and cognitive limitations would be unable to give honest evaluations of their experiences. During the 1990's, there was a growth in nursing home satisfaction surveys completed by both residents and family members. Several groups, such as the American Health Care Association, have hired research firms who have developed surveys that research various aspects of the nursing industry, including staff and environment.

Presents a study that developed a satisfaction survey for families of Ohio's nursing home residents. Process for selecting one family member per resident; Family member's report of resident characteristics; Correlation of scales with overall satisfaction.

This study used a cross-sectional design to interview 133 cognitively alert residents from 13 nursing facilities to examine the predictors of Advance Directives (ADs). A logistic regression examined the effect of Locus of Control (LOC) in predicting the presence of ADs, after controlling for residents' background characteristics and organizational factors. The findings suggested that LOC was not significant. Rather, two background characteristics, religious affiliation and knowledge of ADs, predicted having ADs. More specifically, Jews and Catholics compared to Protestants, and those with more knowledge of ADs had implemented ADs. From a practice perspective, educational programs geared at examining differences in religious affiliation and knowledge of the subject are likely to impact residents' implementation of ADs. As a note of caution, the findings from the study need to be tested with larger, more generalizable samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated whether removing physical restraints from previously restrained nursing home residents would change their social response. A quasi-experimental design was used to obtain data from 93 previously restrained subjects who became restraint-free and from 93 randomly selected never-restrained subjects in seven nursing homes. A repeated measures analysis of covariance controlling for group differences in cognitive status and physical activities of daily living (PADL) was used to examine changes in social response at pretest, posttest, and follow-up. Findings suggested that restraint removal had no effect on changing social response over time. Even after attempting to control for differences between groups, social response was significantly related to subjects' cognitive abilities and PADL status. The control group was better functioning in both areas, and this affected their ability to respond socially at a much higher level throughout the study than the experimental group.