Those who seek a nursing home administrator job will soon find themselves in a truly prestigious role. The nursing home administrator makes a crucial impact not only on the residents of the nursing home but also all those employed within the facility. Subsequently, it is important for the nursing home administrator job candidate to be able to exhibit exemplary leadership skills, serving to ensure staff retention and quality of life for the residents.
In fact, much has been written about the role of nursing home administrators and how the NHA can directly affect the work environment. Relevant research includes the relation between staff commitment and the work environment, as studied by E. Sikorska-Simmons’ in 2005, care quality, as reported on by D. Brannon et al. for The Better Jobs Better Care demonstration, and staff turnover in relation to NA leadership, as reported on by C. Donoghue and N.G. Castle in 2009.
Why leadership skills are just as crucial as academic skills
While anyone can study and achieve academic success when planning for a nursing home administrator job in the future, an exemplary NHA must also possess skills that can’t always simply be taught or easily acquired. Because the nursing home administrator is at the apex of the facility hierarchy and therefore establishes the culture that will remain prevalent throughout the organization, it is vitally important that the tone should be positive, the behavior must be proper and priorities must be clearly defined.
Working well with others
The nursing home administrator job can test many to the limits of their patience and endurance. However, just because he or she is the leader of the facility does not mean they must act alone or dictate all aspects of the organization. Building a strong leadership team is an essential part of being a successful NHA. Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of the team, assigning tasks and roles based on that information, and knowing how best to handle one’s time on a daily basis ensures competency and efficiency.
While this type of leadership wasn’t always prevalent, there has been a definite shift towards collaborative leadership within the last decade. NHAs have realized that it simply isn’t feasible to attempt to handle everything themselves, and strategically, developing a leadership team has proven effective.
Additionally, engaging with other members of staff, focusing on their strengths and coaching them to improve their weaknesses also yields a work environment in which staff feel appreciated and are happy to be utilized to the best of their ability, leading to high employee retention. This is also evident when suggestions for improvement are sought or the team is involved in problem-solving discussions. Employee engagement is critical for high morale and a satisfied workforce.
A lasting commitment
Developing a leadership team has two distinct benefits; one, the NHA is not overburdened by daily tasks, and two, the team and those working beneath them are more engaged in their work. This leads to higher employee commitment, which can only strengthen the organization and serve to ensure better care for those living in the facility. Therefore, it is important that anyone who seeks a nursing home administrator job understands just how crucial their role is and how best to apply their own leadership skills to the organization as a whole.