Treating the complex issues of people living with dementia is difficult because behavioral symptoms often occur in combination with pain symptoms. In addition, increasing cognitive impairment and communication challenges exist as dementia severity progresses. Little is known about either the contributions of different clinical specialties in prescribing medications for this population or prescribing patterns by…
Health care workers in long-term care (LTC) settings often face financial security concerns due to low wages, inconsistent hours, and lack of benefits. As a result, there are higher rates of LTC workers who hold multiple jobs, which can increase workers’ exposure to COVID-19. Because COVID-19 is an especially serious threat to the frail elderly,…
Virtually all fields of the health workforce have been greatly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Different states and health organizations responded to these challenges using a variety of different strategies and adjustments. The pandemic has also highlighted the need for a strong health workforce. This article summarizes the other articles in the research supplement and…
Registered nurses (RNs) are the largest licensed health profession in the US and a key component of the long-term care (LTC) workforce. RNs who work in LTC settings earn less than those who work in hospitals and Black and Hispanic RNs employed in urban hospitals earn less than White and Asian nurses, even after controlling…
Demand is rising for direct care workers (including personal care aides, home health aides, and nursing assistants), but recruitment and retention challenges are widespread. While the COVID-19 pandemic has greatly exacerbated these challenges, it has also created a new labor pool of millions of workers who have been displaced from occupations with similar entry-level requirements….
Due to the ongoing effects of the pandemic, the American Rescue Plan and the CARES act have provided major increases to healthcare funding. However, planning and accountability are needed to ensure that this new funding is spent responsibly and equitably to address the nations most pressing health needs. This article provides recommendations for organizations to…
During the COVID-19 pandemic, numerous concerns about the nursing workforce have been reported. With a shortage of registered nurses (RNs) likely underway now, employers need to ramp up their efforts to retain RNs and develop career paths for newly-graduated RNs. They also need to rapidly develop and implement strategies to mitigate the potential harm of…
Despite considerable research on nursing turnover, few studies have considered turnover among nurses working in home health care. Between 2016 and 2019, the average annual separation rate of home health nurses was over 30%, with most separations occurring voluntarily. Schedule volatility and turnover were positively associated for full-time nurses, but not for part-time nurses. This…
This webinar focuses on registered nurse (RN) research using the National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses (NSSRN). Topics include the path to registered nursing; the validation of estimates of state-level RN distribution by hospital employment setting; and characteristics of RNs in long-term care.
Personal care, home health, and nursing aides provide the majority of care to chronically ill and disabled older adults. This workforce faces challenging working conditions, resulting in high turnover and workforce instability that affect the quality of care for older adults. This study adds to the literature by examining racial and ethnic disparities in well-being…
