Question

What can agencies do to retain more direct care workers?

Please use direct sources from the textbook Handbook of Home Health Care Administration, Sixth Edition, Marilyn D. Harris, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, FAA,ISBN: 9781284068023

Answer 1

Direct care workers include nursing assistants or nurse aides, home health aides, home care aides and personal care workers and personal service attendants—form the centerpiece of the formal long-term care system
Strategies to retain direct care workers:

1. Competitive Wages and Health Insurance Benefits should be provided.

2. Direct care worker training/professional development, which included becoming
a higher-level direct care worker, a licensed practical nurse, a peer mentor or participating in training/orientation beyond the basic requirements should be provided
3. Valuing and appreciating by supervisors provide job satisfaction.

4. formal orientation and on-the-job training programs should be provided.  These included:
• Increasing staff awareness about cultural differences among residents/clients
• Addressing communication issues, particularly related to accents, tone, body language and fluency
• Helping staff to avoid minimizing cultural differences among employees
• Dealing with overtly discriminatory
comments, attitudes and actions from staff, residents/clients and families 15
• Developing specific organizational/ managerial responses to a lack of cultural competence