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Workplace

Five factors influence nurse turnover, report suggests

June 19, 2009

Up to 5% of a facility's budget can go toward costs associated with nurse turnover. But there are five factors researchers have identified that could contribute to a reduction in turnover and increase both job satisfaction and, by extension, patient care.

Number of nursing home beds, residents decreasing, report finds

June 11, 2009

The number of both nursing home beds and nursing home residents in the United States declined between 1999 and 2004, according to the recently released results of the National Nursing Home Survey: 2004 Overview.

Association disputes findings in recent survey on CNAs in long-term care

May 28, 2009

The American Health Care Association Wednesday took aim at a recent government-issued survey that revealed a high rate of workplace injuries among certified nursing assistants in long-term care. The survey also found that wages for CNAs are failing to improve.

Satisfaction among nursing home consumers, employees continues to rise, survey finds

May 28, 2009

Nursing home consumers are more satisfied than they have been since 2005. Meanwhile, workforce satisfaction is at its highest level since 2006. That is according to a new survey by the research firm My InnerView.

More than 50% of nursing home CNAs injured at work last year, some uninsured, new study finds

May 15, 2009

More than half of certified nursing assistants (CNAs) working in nursing homes sustained at least one work-related injury last year. Also, many reported being unable to afford employer-sponsored health insurance, according to a new federally funded survey.

Specter becomes Democrat, but still opposes card check

April 29, 2009

Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, one of the most visible opponents of the Employee Free Choice Act, has announced he will be leaving the Republican Party to caucus with the Democrats. But don't expect a change of opinion toward the card-check bill, he says.

News analysis: Support for card check varies depending on the poll

April 14, 2009

Parties on each side of the card-check issue are proving adept at swaying the masses, according to a recent news analysis. But it's hard to know which poll figures to trust.

Legislation tightening labor laws for nursing home workers introduced in New Brunswick, Canada

April 02, 2009

Nursing home workers and union officials in New Brunswick, Canada, are scrambling to respond to legislation introduced Tuesday that would declare private nursing home employees "essential," severely limiting their ability to strike.

New predictive tool for C. difficile 77% effective

April 02, 2009

Recurrent cases of C. difficile present healthcare workers with a significant challenge. Now doctors at Harvard Medical School have developed a way to accurately predict who is at risk for the infection.

Card-check alternatives gaining ground with lawmakers

March 31, 2009

Last week, Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) announced that he might not support current union "card-check" legislation. Since then, a number of alternative labor reform plans have begun to gain popularity.

Specter plans vote against card-check legislation, threatening bill's passage

March 26, 2009

Nursing homes likely are cheering after Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) said Tuesday he would vote against the Employee Free Choice Act, also known as the card-check bill. His veto could effectively end the bill's chance at passing.

Bill would grant states money to pay for background checks for nursing home employees

March 20, 2009

(Editor's note: In an earlier version of this story, we reported that providers would be responsible for paying for fees associated with employee background checks. That is not necessarily the case. A revised and updated version of the story follows.) The Patient Safety and Abuse Prevention Act of 2009, which was reintroduced in the Senate this week by Sens. Herb Kohl (D-WI) and Susan Collins (R-ME), would expand upon a seven-state pilot program that instituted federal background checks for potential nursing home employees.

Study: Nursing home specialists could improve workforce, quality problems

March 18, 2009

Creating a new medical specialty designed to meet the needs of nursing home residents could help address long-term care workforce and quality-of-care issues, some geriatrics experts recently suggested.

Card-check, Silver Alert bills introduced in Congress

March 11, 2009

Senators and representatives on Tuesday introduced the controversial Employee Free Choice Act, also known as union card-check legislation. Several long-term care groups immediately issued statements against the bill.

Laundry: saving money through new laundry technology and maintenance

Julie Williamson March 01, 2009

There are several ways to save costs through laundry operations. Investing in new technology and performing regular machine maintenance are a good start

Ask the nursing expert: dealing with disorderly RNs

Anne Marie Barnett March 01, 2009

Anne Marie Barnett, RN Former President, Maryland NADONA/LTC

Three nursing unions merge, forming 150,000-member organization

February 20, 2009

Three major nursing unions have announced they will merge to form one massive union to strengthen their voice in the debate over healthcare reform, according to news reports.

Assisted living DONs receive pay bump in 2008, CNA turnover rates hold steady

January 30, 2009

Directors of nursing at assisted living facilities saw a slight pay increase in the last year. Their national average salaries rose to $60,000 in 2008 from $59,627 in 2007, according to the eleventh annual 2008-2009 Assisted Living Salary & Benefits Report.

Nurses with degree from unrelated field could improve nursing shortage

January 26, 2009

Completing a nursing degree after having finished a degree in another field could present a fast, economical way to help alleviate the growing nursing shortage, according to a recent study.

Nurses at higher risk for asthma due to proximity to cleaning chemicals, study finds

January 22, 2009

Nurses who are frequently exposed to cleaning chemicals are at a significantly higher risk of developing asthma than other healthcare workers, according to a recent report.

Nurses often left out of error disclosure process, report finds

January 20, 2009

Nurses frequently do not play a role in telling patients about serious medical errors, according to a recently released Joint Commission report.

Legislation to boost caregiving workforce introduced

January 15, 2009

Members of both the House and Senate Wednesday introduced The Retooling the Health Care Workforce for an Aging America Act, a bill that would seek to bolster the healthcare industry against an expected shortage of healthcare workers.

Report: Uniform standards lacking for nursing home social workers

January 06, 2009

Inconsistent state laws and low federal standards have resulted in varying qualification and certification standards for nursing home social workers, according to a recently released report.

Nurses steadily kicking smoking habit

November 26, 2008

The rate of smoking among nurses fell significantly between 1976 and 2003--but the consequences of the habit are still devastating, a new report found.

DONs most stressed over staff issues, long-term care survey suggests

November 20, 2008

Staff recruitment and retention issues are the biggest headaches for directors of nursing. That is according to the latest edition of the Senior Care Digest Interdisciplinary Report released this week.

Evidence-based research delivers new staff retention tools to nursing homes

November 04, 2008

Long-term care providers, who frequently suffer employee turnover rates near 100% annually, have three new resources designed to reduce workforce turnover. The new tools, which were announced Monday by the Better Jobs Better Care Coalition, also can help providers find new employees and create a better work environment for the staff they already have, researchers said.

Pennsylvania bans mandatory overtime for nurses

October 15, 2008

Pennsylvania has become the latest state to ban the practice of mandatory overtime for nurses at healthcare facilities, including nursing homes and hospitals.

RNs have lowest job satisfaction, report finds

October 14, 2008

Registered nurses are the least satisfied healthcare professionals, according to Press Ganey's Check-Up Report: Employee and Nurse Perspectives on American Health Care Organizations.

Surveys: companies, workers coughing up more for healthcare

September 25, 2008

Both employers and employees are paying more for healthcare, according to several recent surveys chronicling the rise and fall of employer-sponsored healthcare rates and premiums over the last year.

Job satisfaction latest nurse recruitment tool

September 16, 2008

Nursing homes may want to turn their attention to hospitals, which are trying a new method to retain and recruit nurses. Instead of offering financial incentives, they're improving job satisfaction, according to The Washington Post.