Country of origin and racio-ethnicity: are there differences in perceived organizational cultural competency and job satisfaction among nursing assistants in long-term care?

BACKGROUND: Long-term care facilities nationwide are finding it difficult to train and retain sufficient numbers of nursing assistants, resulting in a dire staffing situation. Researchers, managers, and practitioners alike have been trying to determine the correlates of job satisfaction to address this increasingly untenable situation. One factor that has received little empirical attention in the long-term care literature is cultural competence. Cultural competence is defined as a set of skills, attitudes, behaviors, and policies that enable organizations and staff to work effectively in cross-cultural situations. PURPOSE: To examine organizational cultural competence as perceived by nursing assistants and determine if this was related to differences in job satisfaction across countries of origin and racio-ethnic groups. METHODS: Primary data collected from a cross-section of 135 nursing assistants at four New England nursing homes. Demographics, perceptions of organizational cultural competence, and ratings of job satisfaction were collected. A multivariate, generalized linear model was used to assess predictors of job satisfaction. A secondary analysis was then conducted to identify the most important components of organizational cultural competency. RESULTS: Perception of organizational cultural competence (p = .0005) and autonomy (p = .001) were the strongest predictors of job satisfaction among nursing assistants; as these increase, job satisfaction also increases. Neither country of origin nor racio-ethnicity was associated with job satisfaction, but racio-ethnicity was associated with perceived organizational cultural competence (p = .05). A comfortable work environment for employees of different races/cultures emerged as the strongest organizational cultural competency factor (p = .04). RECOMMENDATIONS: Developing and maintaining organizational cultural competency and employee autonomy are important managerial strategies for increasing job satisfaction and improving staff retention. Toward this end, creating a comfortable work environment for employees of different races/cultures is an integral part of the process. Managerial recommendations are discussed.

[Nursing auxiliaries and nursing technicians: different professional categories and equivalent jobs]. / O auxiliar e o técnico de enfermagem: categorias profissionais diferentes e trabalhos equivalentes.

This is a qualitative study with the purpose of identifying and analyzing the differences between the work developed by nursing auxiliaries and nursing technicians. It relies on the theoretical framework concerning health care and nursing work and the Theory of Communicative Action. Information was collected by means of interviews in three hospitals and involved nursing auxiliaries, nursing technicians, nurses and physicians, totaling 32 statements. Results showed that auxiliaries and technicians perform a wide range of actions, including those which are usual for such categories, patient evaluation activities and complex procedures. All the statements indicated that there was no difference between the work done by nursing auxiliaries and that performed by nursing technicians, which allows for questioning the appropriateness of such work division.

O auxiliar e o técnico de enfermagem: categorias profissionais diferentes e trabalhos equivalentes / Nursing auxiliaries and nursing technicians: different professional categories and equivalent jobs / El auxiliar de enfermería y el técnico de enfermería: profesionales de categorías diferentes y trabajos equivalentes

Pesquisa qualitativa, com o objetivo de identificar e analisar as diferenças entre o trabalho desenvolvido por auxiliares e técnicos de enfermagem. Utiliza o referencial teórico do trabalho em saúde e em enfermagem e a teoria do agir comunicativo. As informações foram coletadas através de entrevista em três hospitais, junto a auxiliares de enfermagem, técnicos de enfermagem, enfermeiros e médicos, totalizando 32 depoimentos. Os resultados mostram que os auxiliares e técnicos realizam um amplo espectro de ações, tanto as usuais para essas categorias quanto atividades de avaliação de pacientes e procedimentos complexos. Todos os relatos evidenciam a ausência de diferença entre o trabalho realizado por auxiliares e técnicos de enfermagem, o que permite questionar a pertinência dessa divisão do trabalho.

This is a qualitative study with the purpose of identifying and analyzing the differences between the work developed by nursing auxiliaries and nursing technicians. It relies on the theoretical framework concerning health care and nursing work and the Theory of Communicative Action. Information was collected by means of interviews in three hospitals and involved nursing auxiliaries, nursing technicians, nurses and physicians, totaling 32 statements. Results showed that auxiliaries and technicians perform a wide range of actions, including those which are usual for such categories, patient evaluation activities and complex procedures. All the statements indicated that there was no difference between the work done by nursing auxiliaries and that performed by nursing technicians, which allows for questioning the appropriateness of such work division.

Investigación cualitativa que tiene como finalidad identificar y analizar las diferencias que existen entre el trabajo realizado por auxiliares y por técnicos de enfermería. Utiliza el referencial teórico del trabajo en salud y en enfermería y la teoria del actuar comunicativo. Las informaciones fueron recopiladas a través de entrevistas realizadas en tres hospitales, a auxiliares de enfermería, técnicos de enfermería, enfermeros y médicos, reuniendo un total de 32 declaraciones. Los resultados mostraron que auxiliares y técnicos realizan un amplio espectro de acciones, tanto las usuales para dichas categorías como las actividades de evaluación de pacientes y procedimientos más complejos. Todos los relatos demostraron la ausencia de diferencia entre el trabajo realizado por auxiliares y por los técnicos de enfermería, lo que permite cuestionar la pertinencia de esa división del trabajo.

Perfil de entrada: um recurso didático

Este artigo baseia-se na experiência desenvolvida na Escola de Saúde Pública de Minas Gerais pela equipe técnica do Centro Formador de Recursos Humanos para a Saúde, nos cursos de Auxiliar de Enfermagem,em quatorze municípios do Estado, através da qual buscou-se identificar o Perfil de Entrada como instrumento para que os alunos se reconheçam como participantes de um grupo social específico, bem como numa ferramenta auxiliar na avaliação da aprendizagem.Foram entrevistados 452 alunos, por meio de questionário fechado, matriculados no curso. Os resultados mostram uma formação inadequada do pessoal de serviço e apontam para a necessidade de realização de um programa de educação continuada dirigido para estes profissionais

Situación de los cursos de formación de auxiliares de enfermería en la zona central

Estudio descriptivo de 10 cursos de Formación de Auxiliares de Enfermería en el Departamento Central. Describe la situación general actual de los cursos, que incluye desde los antecedentes históricos, la preparación, utilización e inclusive el marco legal en el que se desarrollan

Reducing nurse aide turnover through the use of weighted applications blank procedure.

High turnover rates among hospital nurses demand rigorous and valid processes of research to determine the reasons motivating such attrition. This study was designed to determine whether use of a weighted application blank has the potential to improve the selection of employees in the nursing home industry. The use of weighted application blanks is, in essence, a proactive approach to reducing turnover. The initial results exhibit great potential to reduce high levels of turnover by reducing the number of poor candidates selected for employment.

Role redesign in perioperative settings.

Perioperative services team members at Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas employed a methodical redesign process to redefine team members' relationships and revise roles to be patient focused. One outcome of this redesign process was the creation of multiskilled worker (ie, unlicensed assistive personnel) roles within self-managed perioperative specialty teams. An initial pilot project using the multiskilled workers in the neurosurgical specialty service resulted in increased physician and perioperative nurse collaboration and efficiency.

Cuaderno de los procesos de la investigación-acción participativa en salud-de los auxiliares de enfermería / sss

El presente documento intenta brindar contenidos, técnicas e instrumentos que posibiliten el desarrollo de la Investigación-Acción-Participativa. Este documento irá adquiriendo validez, en la medida en que los contenidos en él desarrollados, sean puestos en práctica, las acciones que realicen los auxiliares de enfermería en sus comunidades validará o invalidará el presente cuaderno

Cuaderno de los procesos de la investigación-acción participativa en salud-de los auxiliares de enfermería / sss

El presente documento intenta brindar contenidos, técnicas e instrumentos que posibiliten el desarrollo de la Investigación-Acción-Participativa. Este documento irá adquiriendo validez, en la medida en que los contenidos en él desarrollados, sean puestos en práctica, las acciones que realicen los auxiliares de enfermería en sus comunidades validará o invalidará el presente cuaderno