End-of-Life Care in Nursing Homes: The High Cost of Staff Turnover - Essay Example

Part One: Summary: Impact of High Labor Turnover on Nursing Homes. This paper is asummary of an article by Tilden, Thompson, Gajewski and Bott (2012. This article identifies the impact of a high staff turnover in nursing homes. Some of the major impacts identified are increases in the costs of running a nursing home, and a decrease in the quality of service that these nursing homes provide. This paper will provide a summary of these points, and their explanations. The major argument of this paper is that high staff turnover, will result to an increase in the cost of providing health care service, and a reduction in the quality of service.

The high turnover in nursing homes has an impact in increasing the costs of operating a nursing home. Nursing homes will incur these costs mainly because of engaging in an initiative of recruiting new members of staff, and training them to conform to the culture of the organization. This will have an impact of increasing the administrative costs of the nursing home, leading to an increase in the prices charged for its services (Tilden, Thompson, Gajewski and Bott, 2012).However, because of a high staff turnover, nursing homes lack an experienced staff.

It is these members of staff, who have the capability of offering high quality services. By losing them, nursing homes lack the capability of efficiently taking care of people who are nearing their end of life. Thompson, Gajewski and Bott (2012) argue that “in the nursing sector, the more experienced a member of staff, the better the kind of service that he or she offers” p. 165. Based on this argument, loss of experienced members of staff, will negatively affect the quality of service offered by nursing homes.

In conclusion, high staff turnover in nursing homes has an impact in reducing the quality of services provided, while increasing the costs of providing such services. It is therefore important for the government and nursing homes to find a way of reducing this turnover. One of the best ways of achieving this objective is by training nursing officials, and imparting them the necessary skills that can help in caring for the aged. Part Two: ReflectionThis paper is a reflection on the article by Tilden, Thompson, Gajewski and Bott (2012).

This paper examines the major points explained by these authors, providing my personal position and view, regarding the issues addressed. This paper argues that it is possible to reduce a high staff turnover through training, and paying good salaries. Proper training and remuneration is a motivating factor, and it would likely lead to a reduction in the number of employees leaving an organization. Tilden, Thompson, Gajewski and Bott (2012) argue that “ through proper training, the employees of a nursing institution will get the skills that can help them in efficiently caring for the aged” (p. 166). This statement is true, mainly because without the necessary skill of handling the aged, chances are high that the employees of the organization will be de-motivated.

Furthermore, they will not be efficient in serving the aged, resulting to loss of customers and revenues for the company. It is therefore necessary for nursing homes to properly train their employees on how to handle its clients. Better remuneration is also an important method of reducing a high staff turnover. In as much as good salaries is not the only factor responsible for motivating employees, lack of it is a de-motivator. It is therefore of great importance for nursing homes to pay their employees money, that can help them carter for both their personal and other needs (Tilden, Thompson, Gajewski and Bott, 2012).

Through payment of better salaries, chances are high that employees of these organizations will remain loyal, hence reducing the rates of high labor turnover. In conclusion, by paying good salaries and training its work force, nursing homes will reduce the rates of high labor turnover experienced in them. These are motivational activities that have the capability of reducing a high staff turnover. References: Tilden, V., Thompson, S., Gajewski, B., & Bott, M. (2012). End-of-life care in nursing homes: The high cost of staff turnover.

Nursing Economics, 30(3), 163-166.