What determines job quality in nursing homes?

Using data from interviews and a 1991 survey of Massachusetts nursing homes , the author examines employment practices across establishments for the en try-level job of nursing assistant. Practices characteristic of good jobs c ame in bundles: wages, benefits, employer-provided training, and opportunit ies for advancement were correlated. High-quality jobs were more likely in nursing homes serving differentiated customer markets and in nursing homes with professionalized management. Unions and chain ownership were also asso ciated with higher-quality jobs.