As a federal staffing mandate looms, providers remain stymied by a shrinking labor pool, with fewer workers looking for work than the number of jobs available nationwide. Even pay that continues to push higher is doing little to lure certified nurse aides, observers note.
“We have yet to address the root causes, such as burnout, capacity and lack of flexibility for workers,” said Brandon Tappan, chief revenue officer at ShiftKey.
Christina Johnson, senior care executive recruiter for MedBest, said the sector remains in “crisis mode” with no significant relief coming in the near future.
That means the sector must get creative about sourcing new workers as it combats the stigma that seems to have attached itself to long-term care jobs. Key efforts afoot include a recent Labor Department investment of $244 million in a novel apprenticeship program. Importing workers, though highly complex, also is looking like an increasingly valid and needed step.
“Unskilled positions not requiring a degree are typically not an easy fix with an immigration option,” said Kathleen Cambell Walker, chair of the Immigration Practice at Dickinson Wright PLLC. “In some cases, though, a migrant to the US, for example, who has been issued an employment authorization card could be eligible to work in such positions.”
Efforts are underway to convince Congress to relax current immigration rules.
“Our advocacy focuses on the creation of immigration pathways that will help build a pipeline of workers to fill long-term care’s wide range of jobs,” said Nicole Howell, director of workforce public policy for
LeadingAge, the association of nonprofit providers of aging services. A key stumbling block centers on credentialing for certain visas. LeadingAge wants immigration pathways that will help build a pipeline of workers to fill long-term care’s wide range of jobs.
“The requirements fail to reflect the modern educational landscape and the need of US employers, particularly aging service providers,” Howell said. “The workers we most need — nurses, certified nursing assistants, dining workers, home health aides, and other direct care professionals — often do not need a bachelor’s degree.”
From the September 2024 Issue of McKnight's Long-Term Care News
