“The long-term care workforce crisis is well documented. Large numbers of vacancies in professional and direct care positions create significant obstacles for providers and workers committed to delivering high-quality care. Adding fuel to an already raging fire is the difficulty of attracting new talent to long-term care and retaining employees once they are hired. These difficulties are exacerbated by demography, high turnover, long-term care’s negative public face, wages that are typically lower than what can be earned in the acute care sector, a pervasive failure to create work environments where people want to work and an education and training system that too often fails to prepare individuals for the work they must perform.” 

Well, that sounds daunting but of interest is that a white paper commissioned by the AAHSA Talent Cabinet was published in 2009 and yes, the above paragraph is a direct quote from the white paper. What is also interesting is that we are now in 2023 and are still struggling with staff recruitment and retention. There are many ideas on how to address this ongoing challenge with little success. One thing that does ring true in everything I have read on the subject is the importance of staff training and competency. Let’s face it, if staff feel qualified to perform the tasks they are required to do, and are supported by their managers, they will likely provide a higher quality of care and stay in their positions.  

Although there are no guarantees, isn’t it worth looking at? Let’s not be “paper compliant” with staff competency evaluations, let’s truly do them and do them right! Hold the hands of your newbies and let them know that you care and want them to succeed. Maybe have your long-term, proven caregivers mentor the new caregivers, teaching them, supporting them and of course, praising them as they “grow.” Competency is key, you can have more than the required staffing numbers and not provide quality care if staff aren’t trained and competent. Stay well and stay informed! 

Additional Information and Resources:

• Direct Care Staff Competency Checklist #1 (HealthCap)
• Direct Care Staff Competency Checklist #2 (HealthCap)
• Direct Care Staff Competency Checklist #3 (HealthCap)
• Licensed Nurse Competency Checklist (HealthCap)
• Instruction Manual Nursing Home Staff Competency Assessment (CMS)
• Nursing Home Staff Competency Assessment (CMS)
• Competency Check vs. Observational Audit (AHRQ)