Food Service Personnel Training and Employment Needs of Nursing Homes in West Tennessee

Training and employment needs of food service employees in selected West Tennessee nursing homes were investigated. Personnel problems, managerial qualifications, and labor turnover also were studied. Information was obtained by means of questionnaires and personal interviews. A randomized sample consisted of 14 large nursing homes (50 beds and over) and 11 small nursing homes (25 to 50 beds).

Less than half of the nursing homes surveyed were conducting or participating in training programs. Where training was taking place, the skills and knowledge considered most important for the particular group were not always the ones being taught. Managers of large nursing homes considered training to be the responsibility of the nursing home. Managers of small nursing homes indicated in most cases that the responsibility for training should be shared by the nursing home and outside agencies.

Lack of qualified personnel was the most frequent response to questions concerning problems related to personnel. Other problems mentioned were labor turnover, low pay, personnel attitudes, use of special equipment and sanitation.

Qualifications for food service managers as desired by administrators generally were education and experience in the food service industry. Present available positions for dieticians and food service managers were indicated, but no current need for food preparation workers, food service workers, or food sanitation workers was reported. However, anticipated future employment needs included personnel for each employee category with food preparation worker most frequently forecasted to be needed.