Skilled Nursing Wages Rise, Adding to Labor Challenges

As senior living providers address staffing challenges from attracting, training and retaining millennials to combating wage pressures, several job titles in the skilled nursing sector are garnering higher earnings year over year. 

The hourly rate of registered nurses who work in nursing homes continues to rise, according to the 2016-2017 Nursing Home Salary & Benefits Report, published by Hospital & Healthcare Compensation Services (HCS). 

Since 2014, the year-over-year increase in hourly rates of RNs has grown from 1.27% to 2.27% in 2015 and then again increased to 2.86% in 2016, according to the report.

Other professions in the industry that saw large increases since 2015 included admissions coordinators, with an increase to 3.6%, directors of marketing with an increase to 3.94% and nursing home administrators, with an increase to 3.78%. 

The turnover rate for RNs in nursing homes is also on the rise, increasing from 27.55% in 2014 to 29% in 2015, and then to 31.17% in 2016. The area with the highest turnover rate for RNs is the West South Central region, which includes Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas. The region has a turnover rate of 43.6%.

The Pacific region, which includes Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington, has the lowest turnover rates for RNs with 21.71%. 

Dining service positions saw high turnover rates throughout the country as well. In 2016, the national average turnover rate for dining services is 30.9%, the report said. 

The HCS report featured 2,076 participants that reported data on more than 155,300 senior living employees. 

Written by Alana Stramowski

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