Stear Lynda A
Lynda A. Stear, BA, RN, is a Retired Nurse and a Freelance Medical Writer, Senior Quality Control Reviewer, Randstad Life Science, Deerfield, Illinois.
Home Healthc Now. 2017 Nov/Dec;35(10):554-560. doi: 10.1097/NHH.0000000000000619.
The aging population of the United States has led to a need for more direct care workers to provide personal care to older adults and disabled people in their homes. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts employment of paraprofessionals in home care will grow 49% between 2012 and 2022 as the baby boomer generation ages and requires more assistance in activities of daily living. The typical direct care worker is a female aged 25 to 54 years old, a demographic that is projected to remain flat in the coming years. Direct care workers typically are poorly paid for work that is labor-intensive and often work in less than optimal working conditions. It is important that agencies hiring direct care workers understand the challenges these workers face and institute sound hiring practices and provide proper training and ongoing supervision. It is possible to have a quality direct care team. Proper training, role modeling, and supervision will improve employee satisfaction, decrease turnover, and improve care outcomes for patients.
美国人口老龄化导致需要更多直接护理人员为老年人和残疾人提供居家个人护理服务。美国劳工统计局预测，随着婴儿潮一代步入老年并在日常生活活动中需要更多帮助，2012年至2022年间，居家护理领域辅助专业人员的就业人数将增长49%。典型的直接护理人员是年龄在25至54岁之间的女性，预计这一人群在未来几年将保持稳定。直接护理人员从事的工作劳动强度大，但薪酬通常很低，而且工作条件往往不尽如人意。重要的是，雇佣直接护理人员的机构要了解这些工作人员所面临的挑战，制定合理的招聘做法，提供适当的培训和持续监督。组建一支高素质的直接护理团队是有可能的。适当的培训、榜样示范和监督将提高员工满意度，减少人员流动，并改善患者的护理效果。
