The psychologist as a consultant in a nursing home: Effect on staff morale and turnover.

Abstract

In the past decade, many elderly patients have been transferred from long-term psychiatric hospitals to nursing homes, where knowledge ofpsychological aspects of patient care is generally poor. Unlike psychiatric institutions, emotional and behavioral disorders are poorly tolerated by nursing-home staff. One solution to this problem is for psychologists to provide in-service training to nursing-home staff in the psychological aspects of patient care. This approach, however, ignores such problems as poor staff morale and high staff turnover. A 188-bed skilled nursing home was selected for a 12-week consultation program. The program used a mental health and organizational development approach to improve staff morale and to reduce staff turnover. Turnover rates fell from 73.4%, during the quarter prior to consultation, to 27.8%, during the period of consultation, and averaged 33.6% for the next three quarters. Staff morale also improved. Our experience indicates that before training nursing-home staff in the psychological aspects of geriatric care, problems such as high staff turnover and poor morale should be resolved.

Psychiatric Services: Experience, Perceptions, and Needs of Nursing Facility Multidisciplinary Leaders

“…Adequate training requirements are lacking 5 . Training frontline staff in behavioral assessment and interventions is associated with enhanced staff satisfaction and retention, 20 although conventional in‐service training continuing education and treatment guidelines have had limited effectiveness in altering provider practices 21,22 . Additionally, psychiatrists affiliated with a community hospital inpatient psychiatric unit can offer easy access to rehospitalization of aggressive, dangerous patients if necessary, decreasing fears that the facility will be “stuck” with an out‐of‐control patient.…”

Quality Circles in the Public Health Sector: Implementation and Effect

“…Morale is frequently referred to in the literature but it is seldom defined (Shires, 1984;Sbordone. 1983).…”

“…The literature substantiates, although implicitly, the idea that staff participation has value in maintaining and improving morale. Morale is frequently referred to in the literature but it is seldom defined (Shires, 1984;Sbordone. 1983).…”

The American Geriatrics Society and American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry Recommendations for Policies in Support of Quality Mental Health Care in U.S. Nursing Homes

“…Nursing home administrators have been variably receptive to allocating sparse resources to training, but an investment in training can result in added value beyond better health care for residents. For example, training frontline staff in behavioral assessment and interventions is associated with enhanced staff satisfaction and retention 34 …”