The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) released data tables from the 2004 National Nursing Assistant Survey (NNAS). The NNAS is the first nationally representative probability sample of certified nursing assistants (CNAs) working in nursing homes. NCHS collected the NNAS as a supplement to the periodic National Nursing Home Survey (NNHS). Telephone interviews were conducted with 3,017 nursing assistants randomly sampled from 582 nursing homes in 2004. The NNAS provides fresh insights into the direct care nursing home workforce. These data are needed because of the growing demand for nursing home care and nursing assistants as the U.S. population ages.
The NNAS data tables summarize frequencies and cross-tabulations of data about nursing assistants: demographics; work experience and training; pay and benefits; work environment; home environment; and injuries and vaccinations. In 2004, there were approximately 700,000 nursing assistants working in nursing homes in the United States. Approximately 35 percent were 45 years of age or older and 92 percent were female. More than half of nursing assistants (53 percent) lived in families with incomes of less than $30,000 per year. Ninety percent of nursing assistants reported receiving health care benefits, 70 percent had paid sick leave, and 60 percent reported having a pension plan or retirement benefits. Nearly 80 percent of nursing assistants reported being “somewhat satisfied” or “extremely satisfied” with their job, but 54 percent indicated that they were “very likely or somewhat likely” to leave their job in the next year.
The new data tables may be downloaded at: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/about/major/nnhsd/NursingAssistantTables.htm
The rich potential of the NNAS is enhanced by the ability to link nursing assistant responses with data from the NNHS for the nursing home in which each respondent worked. For data files and documentation for both surveys, see: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nnhs.htm.
