Nursing Assistant Turnover in Nursing Homes : Implications and Recommendations for the Nurse Administrator

High levels of turnover in the nursing assistant job category has become accepted by many in the nursing home industry as inevitable and unchangeable. The impact of high turnover is significant in that nursing assistants provide up to virtually all the direct patient care in nursing homes, and comprise the majority of full-time equivalent positions in the department of nursing. Ramifications of high turnover for the organization, the resident and employees themselves are considerable. This essay reviews and summarizes the recent literature on the subject of nursing assistant turnover in nursing homes. Implications for nursing administrators and recommendations for further research are described.