Spring 1999
XYZ Home Care Agency
STAFF PERCEPTIONS
Summary Scores for Job Satisfaction
| Strongly Dissatisfied to Dissatisfied |
Satisfied to Strongly Satisfied | Mean Score (Range=1-5) | ||
| Extrinsic Satisfaction* | HHA | 45% | 55% | 3.5 |
| RN | 50% | 50% | 3.5 | |
| Intrinsic Satisfaction* | HHA | 36% | 63% | 3.8 |
| RN | -- | 100% | 4.3 | |
*see page 2 for factors in extrinsic and intrinsic satisfaction
Summary Scores for Leadership
and Management Practices
| Strongly Disagree to Disagree | Agree to Strongly Agree |
Mean Score (Range=1-5) | ||
| Leadership Support (see page 2 for components) | HHA | 27% | 73% | 4.1 |
| RN | -- | 100% | 4.6 | |
| Motivational Climate (see page 3 for components) | HHA | 18% | 82% | 3.5 |
| RN | -- | 100% | 3.8 | |
| Timely & Thorough communication (see page 3 for components) |
HHA | 36% | 64% | 2.6 |
| RN | -- | 100% | 3.0 | |
| Never to Sometimes | Fairly often to Always |
Mean Score (Range=1-4) | ||
| Agency culture provides support (see page 3 for components) |
HHA | 27% | 82% | 3.2 |
| RN | 25% | 75% | 2.1 | |
| In-services are client-focused (see page 4 for components) |
HHA | 22% | 78% | 3.2 |
| RN | 25% | 75% | 2.8 | |
| Staff participate in agency decisions (see page 4 for components) |
HHA | 100% | -- | 1.8 |
| RN | 100% | -- | 2.0 | |
| Mission influences agency practices (see page 4 for components) |
HHA | 50% | 50% | 2.8 |
| RN | 25% | 75% | 3.0 | |
Table 1. Job Satisfaction
| Strongly Disagree | Disagree | Agree | Strongly Agree | ||
| EXTRINSIC SATISFACTION | |||||
| with pay | HHA | --% | 46% | 46% | 9% |
| RN | -- | 50 | 50 | -- | |
| with benefits | HHA | -- | 9 | 82 | 9 |
| RN | -- | -- | 100 | -- | |
| INTRINSIC SATISFACTION | |||||
| with chances to learn new things | HHA | 0 | 18 | 73 | 9 |
| RN | -- | -- | 75 | 25 | |
| with chances to take part in making decisions | HHA | 18 | 23 | 56 | 3 |
| RN | -- | -- | 25 | 75 | |
| with chances to do something worthwhile | HHA | 9 | 55 | 36 | -- |
| RN | -- | -- | 25 | 75 | |
Table 2. Leadership Practices
| Strongly Disagree | Disagree | Agree | Strongly Agree | ||
| Direct Supervisor | |||||
| ...sets high standards. | HHA | --% | --% | 73% | 27% |
| -- | -- | 25 | 75 | ||
| ...lets them know how they are doing. | HHA | 9 | -- | 55 | 36 |
| RN | -- | -- | 50 | 50 | |
| ...is concerned about them as people. | HHA | 9 | -- | 55 | 36 |
| RN | -- | -- | 40 | 60 | |
| ...is available when needed. | HHA | -- | 27 | 55 | 18 |
| RN | -- | -- | 50 | 50 | |
| ...discusses clients and how to deal with them. | HHA | -- | -- | 64 | 36 |
| RN | -- | -- | 50 | 50 | |
Table 3. Motivational Climate
| Strongly Disagree | Disagree | Agree | Strongly Agree | ||
| Staff feels... | |||||
| ...good ideas and work payoff. | HHA | --% | --% | 73% | 27% |
| RN | -- | -- | 25 | 75 | |
| ...working hard gets recognized. | HHA | 9 | -- | 55 | 36 |
| RN | -- | -- | 50 | 50 | |
| ...good jobs are rewarded in some way. | HHA | 9 | -- | 55 | 36 |
| RN | -- | -- | 40 | 60 | |
Table 4. Communication Practice
| Strongly Disagree | Disagree | Agree | Strongly Agree | ||
| Staff feels... | |||||
| ...well informed about new clients. | HHA | --% | --% | 73% | 27% |
| RN | -- | -- | 25 | 75 | |
| ...informed about changes in work assignments. | HHA | 9 | -- | 55 | 36 |
| RN | -- | -- | 50 | 50 | |
Table 5. Agency Culture
| Strongly Disagree | Disagree | Agree | Strongly Agree | ||
| Staff feels... | |||||
| ...alone when caring for clients. | HHA | 82% | --% | 9% | 9% |
| RN | 25 | 75 | -- | -- | |
| ...supervisor understands them. | HHA | -- | 30 | 40 | 30 |
| RN | -- | 25 | 50 | 25 | |
| ...close to other staff members. | HHA | 20 | -- | 60 | 20 |
| RN | -- | -- | 50 | 50 | |
| ...very close to their clients. | HHA | -- | 9 | 46 | 45 |
| RN | -- | 25 | 75 | -- | |
Table 6. Client-Centered In-Services
| Strongly Disagree | Disagree | Agree | Strongly Agree | ||
| At in-services... | |||||
| ...different types of clients & their problems are presented. | HHA | 82% | --% | 9% | 9% |
| RN | 25 | 75 | -- | -- | |
| ...clients & how to deal with their problems are discussed. | HHA | -- | 30 | 40 | 30 |
| RN | -- | 25 | 50 | 25 | |
Table 7. Participatory Decision Making
| Never | Some- times | Fairly Often |
All the Time | ||
| Staff help with decisions for- | |||||
| ...hiring new staff. | HHA | 100% | --% | --% | --% |
| RN | 75 | 25 | -- | -- | |
| ...types of benefits provided. | HHA | 82 | 18 | -- | -- |
| RN | 75 | 25 | -- | -- | |
| ...vacation schedules. | HHA | 36 | 46 | -- | 18 |
| RN | -- | -- | 75 | 25 | |
| ...OSHA bag supplies. | HHA | 50 | 20 | 20 | 10 |
| RN | 100 | -- | -- | -- | |
| ...daily work assignments. | HHA | 18 | 18 | 9 | 55 |
| RN | -- | -- | 75 | 25 | |
Table 8. Influence of Mission Statement
| Never | Some- times | Fairly Often |
All the Time | ||
| Staff feels mission influences | |||||
| ...hiring process. | HHA | 10% | 20% | 50% | 20% |
| RN | -- | 25 | 50 | 25 | |
| ...orientation. | HHA | 20 | 30 | 30 | 20 |
| RN | -- | 25 | 50 | 25 | |
| ...in-services. | HHA | 10 | 20 | 50 | 20 |
| RN | -- | 25 | 50 | 25 | |
| ...everyday management. | HHA | 10 | 20 | 30 | 40 |
| RN | -- | 25 | 50 | 25 | |
Table 9. In-service Topics
| Want Some Information | Want a Lot of Information | ||||
| Staff wants... | |||||
| ...communication skills. | HHA | 73% | --% | ||
| RN | 75 | -- | |||
| ...dementia effects. | HHA | 70 | 20 | ||
| RN | 50 | -- | |||
| ...aging health. | HHA | 64 | 9 | ||
| RN | 75 | -- | |||
| ...infection control. | HHA | 60 | 10 | ||
| RN | 50 | -- | |||
| ...nutrition information. | HHA | 60 | 10 | ||
| RN | -- | -- | |||
| ...effective teamwork. | HHA | 55 | 9 | ||
| RN | 25 | -- | |||
| ...cleaning skills. | HHA | 40 | -- | ||
| RN | 50 | -- | |||
| ...hygiene care. | HHA | 30 | -- | ||
| RN | 75 | -- | |||
Table 10. Staff Comments
| BEST ASPECT OF JOB | |
|---|---|
| NURSES | HOME HEALTH ASSISTANTS |
| **Staff are helpful & friendly | **Helping clients |
| Flexible schedule | **Flexible schedule & hours |
| Autonomy & independence | Communication with nurses | Staff are great |
| WORST ASPECT OF JOB | |
| **Pressure to work faster, more in less time |
**Client demands or calls to home |
| Emotional needs of the clients | **Not able to do more for clients |
| Negative attitude of one staff person | **Desired work hours not available |
| Jobs out of town | **Too much paperwork |
| **When clients cancel, wages are cut. | |
| Poor communication with supervisor. | |
**Multiple staff members provided these comments.
Note: Fifty home care assistants and twenty-five home care nurses were surveyed. Surveys took place during three different in-service sessions. There were no managers or administrators personnel in the in-service room. Staff tenure ranged from 1 to 15 years. Statistical analysis reveals no significant differences between full and part time or between "short" and long-term staff.