One of the biggest issues facing skilled nursing facilities today is employee turnover. The economy is strong and the labor market is tight, but new hires cost facilities time and money and residents suffer from a shortage of caregivers. Hourly pay and benefits are only part of the solution. There are a number of other things management can do to reduce turnover.

All employees want a safe and clean environment. Things that may seem insignificant to management: like a parking lot that is well lit (safety) or parking spaces close to the building, should be taken care of.  It is also important that the interior of the building stay clear of clutter, remain clean, and odor free. A concerted effort by management to properly maintain the physical plant is important. Show your employees you care about their safety and work environment.

The most important way to reduce employee turnover is for the Administrator and Director of Nursing to be visible to the staff. Spend part of your day assisting the staff with daily operations. Show you care about them as a person as well as an employee. Be fair and consistent in rewarding and disciplining employees. Sometimes something as simple as a smile can make an employee’s day. Think about the little things that can go a long way to reducing employee turnover.

Of all the decisions that adult children will make for their aging parents, finding a dependable residential healthcare center could prove to be the most important one. Having reached their golden years, these individuals deserve respect, consideration and careful oversight. These three elements and more is what Mark McKettrick has sought to provide during his more than 26 years of working as a nursing home administrator. These attributes are what makes Mr. McKettrick appealing to potential future employers who need someone with his professional experience and personal devotion to the nursing home sector. On this website,we’ll explore Mark McKettrick’s professional background as well as his insight on what makes a residential center work.

Mr. McKettrick earned his bachelor of business administration (BBA) degree in management in May 1984 from the University of Georgia, in Athens, Georgia. He would then go on to earn his master’s degree in business administration in May 1991 from Augusta University. Shortly after, he would find his career-long calling in the healthcare and nursing home sector. This venture began in earnest in June1992 when he arrived at Snellville, Georgia’s New London Health Center. By September of the same year, the facility would achieve a full census and that was thanks in part to the safe and comfortable environment it offered residents, their families and visitors alike. From an administration standpoint, Mark McKettrick would oversee expenses, population, revenue, care protocols and more for 18 years.

From 2010 through 2015, Mr. McKettrick continued his work with New London Health Center in additional managerial roles. During this period, he would be responsible for achieving goals set by the center’s governing body. This would also entail efforts that offered residents the highest quality of care while monitoring financial reports, implementing corrective action and budget measures while marketing the facility to maintain a healthy mix of residents. More recently, Mark McKettrick came to Park Springs Health Care Center, in Stone Mountain, Georgia, as administrator from September 2016 to September 2018. In this capacity, he managed the 60-bed skilled nursing facility and increased its ranking while reducing employee turnover and improving communications between all who live,work and visit there.

It’s these later points that Mr. McKettrick is most proud of and ones that he thinks potential employers would be interested to learn more about. “I feel very strongly about employee relations. I believe that working closely with your employees goes hand in hand with your relationship to the residents and their families,” he says,adding that he’d spend time daily making the rounds on the floor and that paid off in increasing accessibility and improving care. This type of dedication,combined with integrity and passion to provide the highest quality of care, are characteristics anyone in this field should possess.