The Nursing Home Administrator Career Path

This reader question was sent to me recently, and I have included my response below. I appreciated any and all positive and negative feedback!

Matt,

I enjoyed reading your nursing home admin blog. I have been interested in pursing a Nursing Home Admin training program. I have a few questions regarding the profession.

1. One thing that concerns me is the high turnover rate. I have read some studies where it said the the turn over rate is approximately 25%.

"In recent studies, Iowa researchers found the annual turnover rate of nursing home administrators is approximately 25% and nursing home administrators rotate positions, on average, every 31 months. It appears that the turnover rate is substantially linked to job satisfaction."

WorkForce Study

Is this true? I don't want to go through a training program and then be dissatisfied with my job.

Thanks,
Aaron


Hey Aaron,

Thanks for the email and the feedback on the blog. I wish that I had more time to devote to it, but...this position definitely keeps you busy. I love what I do, but it's not for everybody.

Thirty one months is 2 1/2 years, and they say that the average PERSON in any profession will change jobs an average of seven times in their career. I'm at my third facility and my experience is pretty average. One unfortunate thing about this industry is that when there is a significant problem, such as regulatory issues, financial shortcomings, a significant family concern, it can be easier for an owner/organization to change over the leadership than truly deal with the problem...This means that the Administrator and the Director of Nursing can change frequently.

My past experiences have all been very unique, and I left on good terms, but the turnover rate is there. Satisfaction is in the eye of the beholder (that's you). The one thing that I have always struggled with in this position is the scope of problems that fall under your umbrella; you are responsible for controlling a multi-million dollar spending budget in a large facility, but at the same time a housekeeper calls off or you run out of milk and it rocks your day. Versatility is the name of the game.

All that being said, I encourage you to do your homework and pursue the profession. Check out longtermcareeducation.com for the best resources on licensure and career paths. Feel free to email me if you have any questions or need some guidance.

Good luck!

Matt Maupin