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QIO Says Consistent Assignments Improve Care Quality, Reduce Turnover
July 17, 2006
Consistent assignments, or the practice of ensuring that caregivers assist the same group of residents on at least 85 percent of their shifts, improves care quality and reduces turnover, according to an article in Provider magazine's June issue, yet all but about 10 percent of the nation's nursing homes rotate caregivers throughout the facility instead.
In 'A Case for Consistent Assignment,' author David Farrell and colleagues from Quality Partners of Rhode Island and B&F Consulting describe the results of a one-year 'Improving Nursing Home Culture' pilot program recently funded by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. That study and others, they say, 'cite evidence for consistent assignment as foundation for quality improvement.'
The authors say long-term care managers have many reasons for rotating staff, including a desire to prevent burnout, a desire for all staff to be somewhat familiar with the needs of all patients. But their actions, however well-meaning, have a negative effect. 'In long term care,' the authors write, 'the work has inherent meaning for people attracted to caring for others. Yet management systems such as rotating assignment can interfere with, rather than support, the caring connection with patients that often draws individuals to caregiving work in the first place.'
Elise Nakhnikian
Communications Specialist
Paraprofessional Healthcare Institute
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