Informing Recruitment and Pedagogy of Undergraduate Long-Term Care Administration Students

Abstract

Given the shortage of long-term care administrators and the aging population of our country, efforts to enhance the pool of appropriate and well-prepared candidates in long-term care leadership professions are now vital. Undergraduate institutions that train long-term care leaders through adequate training should focus on student recruitment and a refinement of pedagogical practices. This study utilized ex post facto data to assess characteristics of potential long-term care leaders in conjunction with success measures. Additionally, long-term care leaders were surveyed for exploratory research on methods to increase student recruitment and professional preparedness for their positions. The study validated a previous instrument developed to assess fit and draw interest to the field, confirming ten characteristics as important to long-term care leadership and professional preparedness: organization, critical thinking, people skills, attitude, confidence, communication, visionary leadership, sense of caring, and change agent. Findings from the study allowed for recommendations to be developed for undergraduate long-term care administration programs, including a heightened focus on student recruitment at the secondary level, inclusion of networking within curriculum, and strongly suggesting related work experience to prospective students.