The number of applicants for the NAB Nursing Home Administrator licensing examination has seriously declined for the third year. NAB has expressed alarm about this decline and what it means for the future of Nursing Home Administration.
Historically, exam candidates averaged 3,778 from 1988 to 1997, with a high of 4640 in 1989 and a low of 3519 in 1991. The fist significant decline began in 1998 with a 12% decline below the ten-year average of 3778 from 1988 to 1997. In 1999, candidates declined another 11% to 2975. In 2000 a 19% decline is projected to approximately 2400. This represents a 36.5% decline from the ten-year average in three years.
With the nation's elderly projected to more than double in 30 years, who will care for the elderly if properly educated, well trained professionals are not entering the field?
These questions must be answered to avoid a long term care administration crisis. This requires a partnership between government, industry and academia to identify reasons that professionals are leaving LTC, and why college graduates are not considering LTC as a career. With this knowledge, solutions can be developed to reverse the downward trend.
Some reasons for the decline appear to be obvious but require validation. They may include punitive regulations; compensation commensurate with responsibility; long hours; staffing shortages; a good economy offering attractive careers; growth of assisted living; need for industry career path development; funding shortages; industry financial distress; and negative press.
See www.nabweb.org
Learning Objectives: 1. Discuss findings indicating that the number of candidates for NHA licensure have significantly decreased in the last three years 2. Analyze the potential implications of this decline to the long term care field 3. Describe how this issue can be addressed through partnerships between NAB, educators, and long term care providers.
Keywords: Leadership, Nursing Homes
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: National Association of Boards of Examiners of Long Term Care Administrators (NAB)
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.