Various staff behaviors in nursing home were sampled 7 times a day, 5 days a week over 37 months and were coded separately for registered nurses (RNs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs), and nurses' aides (NAs). Found LPNs displayed significantly more patient care behaviors and NAs significantly more nonwork behaviors than other nursing staff. RNs…

Interviewed 234 aides in seven nursing homes concerning job turnover rate, job satisfaction, and perception of milieu. A positive association found between turnover rate and aides' perceptions of the homes' order, organization, and control suggested that job turnover would lessen with more involvement in the decision-making process. (JAC)

Surveyed 577 nurses and nurse's aides working in long-term care facilities to examine abuse of nursing home residents by staff. Respondents indicated that abuse did occur and significant minority of respondents reported having themselves committed physically or psychologically abusive actions. Findings suggest that abuse may be common part of…

Examined work of the nurse's aides (NAs) through observation and in-depth interviews with 30 NAs. Found efforts of NAs were clearly focused on getting work done well enough to stay out of trouble and decisions with implications for quality of care were often driven by whether NAs would be reprimanded by supervisors or ostracized by peers.…

Nurse's aides (n=43) at two institutions answered questions about their experience and knowledge of aging and rated nursing home residents on a semantic differential (attitude) scale. Results indicated including a brief life history in a routine medical chart caused aides to perceive residents in a more positive manner. (Author/ABL)

Describes development, implementation, and evaluation of a model abuse prevention curriculum designed for nursing assistants. Findings from the evaluation are presented that showed high satisfaction with the program and improvement on a number of indicators, including reduced conflict with and abuse of residents. (Author)

Interviewed nursing assistants (n=40) and nursing facility residents (n=37) regarding ways they experienced respect, disrespect, attachment, and distancing in their relationships with each other. As a result of finding evidence of disrespect, an inservice session on gaining respect as a nursing assistant was presented. (ABL)

Short-term longitudinal study assessed single and combined effects of two interventions designed to affect nursing assistants' (n=193) performance by increasing knowledge and motivation. Four sites included skills training only, job redesign only, both interventions, and control. Significant differences were found in knowledge in comparisons…

This study examined the effectiveness of a new skills training program designed to increase nurse aides' knowledge of behavior management. The training program, designed as five 90-minute group learning modules, was implemented in two Western Pennsylvania nursing homes over a 5-month period. Topics covered within the training program included…

Examined the prevalence and nature of grief in response to patient suffering, loss, or death among healthcare workers. Skilled nursing facility personnel remembered experiencing bereavement in response to crises of their geriatric patients. Mourning occurred among virtually all general hospital personnel who usually serve younger patients. (Author)

Bureau of Labor Statistics' data show that the incidence rate of 15 workplace injuries and illnesses per 100 full-time nursing home workers is well above that for private industry as a whole. Back injuries are most frequently reported. Short tenure and high turnover are correlated with health and safety problems. (SK)

Used ethnographic data to examine personal and work worlds of nurse's aides. Concludes that, because nursing home's institutional culture often adds to adversity of their personal life, nurse's aides move between the two milieus in self-perpetuating negative cycle, carrying to bedside of elderly residents the affective and psychological burden…

Tested the buffering hypothesis that negative effects of stressors (measured as burden, burnout, and perceived job pressure) on nursing assistants (n=245) in long-term care institutions are moderated by social support (at work and external to work). Buffering hypothesis was not confirmed, though some support for a main effects view was found.…

The purpose of this study was the development, testing, and analysis of a nursing home aide screening device. Items of the instrument (N=40) were found to significantly differentiate between the successful or unsuccessful groups of aides (N=93). (Author)

Despite persistent allegations of widespread abuse of nursing home residents, the topic has received only limited research attention. This study involved telephone interviews with a random sample of 577 nurses and nursing aides working in long-term care facilities. Subjects reported on actions they had observed other staff commit and on actions…