Frontline Supervisor Survey

DHHS / ASPE
10/01/04 - 06/30/08

Peter Kemper, Department of Health Policy and Administration
Diane Brannon, Department of Health Policy and Administration
Teta Barry, Department of Health Policy and Administration
Joe Vasey, Department of Health Policy and Administration
David Johnson, Survey Research Center

The goal of the project is to provide policymakers with an understanding of the perspectives and experiences of frontline supervisors in long term care (LTC) organizations that are initiating workforce development interventions. The proposed project will conduct a survey of frontline supervisors in the Better Jobs Better Care demonstration (BJBC). Using data from this survey together with data already being collected as part of that demonstration, this study will address four questions:

• The first question to be addressed is whether the intended management practices are implemented at the front lines, where care is given. This will involve addressing two sub-questions: (a) what supervisors' perceive management practices to be and then investigate (b) how their perceptions compare with the chief clinical manager's characterization of management practices obtained from the survey of clinical managers.
• The second question to be addressed is whether management practices affect supervisor job outcomes, such as intent to stay at the provider and satisfaction with the job.
• The third question to be addressed concerns the effect of management practices on the quality of supervision that DCWs receive as assessed by DCWs.
• The fourth question to be addressed is whether management practices affect DCW job outcomes. This question is divided into two parts, (a) effects on turnover and retention and (b) effects on job quality. These effects may be direct or indirect through effects on supervisors' job outcomes and quality of supervision.