Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #105388

Hui-Chuan Hsu, PhD, Yuan-Wei Kung, Hsiao-Chien Huang, Pei-Yu Ho, Ya-Yin Lin, and Wen-Shin Chen. Department of Health Care Administration, Taichung Healthcare and Management University, 500, Lioufeng Road, Wufeng Shiang, Taichung, 413, Taiwan, 886-4-23323456 ext. 1906, gingerhsu@seed.net.tw

Purpose: The aim of this study is to examine the work stress for the care assistants in nursing homes and related factors. Method: We recruited the nursing homes with size of 50 beds or over in middle Taiwan. There were 9 nursing homes participated, and 110 care assistants have completed the questionnaire. The work stress scale for the care assistants was validated and achieved good reliability (Cronbach's alpha=0.93). Exploratory factor analysis was conducted. Results: Six factors were extracted from the work stress scale: Insufficient Ability, Stressful Reactions, Heavy Work, Trouble in Care Work, Poor Management, and Working Time Problems. The explained variance achieved 64.96%. Related factors to higher work stress included hospital-based nursing homes, fixed schedule, night work, inconvenient facility, less enthusiasm, and self-rated higher stress. Discussion: Policies about pre-job-training and licensing system as well as the management in nursing homes are suggested.

Learning Objectives:

• To explore the dimension of work stress for the care assistants in nursing homes.
• To find the possible factors related to quality of care provided by care assistants.
• To formulate policy and management suggestions for quality of care in nursing homes.

Keywords: Long-Term Care, Stress

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.