direct support professional

licensed practical nurse

registered nurse

qualified professional

community nurse

Austen-Dooley Company

A typical day at work consists of taking care of people (residents in a home setting) with mental and / or physical developmental disabilities, ranging from mild to fully dependent.  Paid training is required to make sure employees know how to properly take care of the residents according to company policy and state regulations.  I can't speak on all the managers, but I feel like mine listens to my concerns and is very fair.  From my limited contact, the owners seem to be the same way.  Day to day work is mostly unsupervised since the managers have several homes to oversee.  I enjoy not being micromanaged, but this can lead to problems when employees take advantage of it and don't pull their weight.  Since the residents depend on care givers daily, we are expected to be there on time when scheduled.  Absences are expected to be arranged in advance, but we do have the flexibility to find our own shift replacements too.  Sicknesses and true emergencies are handled fairly if not abused. Traditional benefits are offered but are expensive and not very good.  The company does help offset the cost though.  The most enjoyable part of the job is the relationships developed with the residents, but that can lead to the hardest part when you lose one.

  I've been in the workforce for almost 40 years. After so many years in manufacturing I felt a change was needed. The last 2 years I've been in this field.  I can say with total honesty that this is the best place I've worked.  Current management cares.  They work in the homes themselves. I feel when I have a concern or an issue they listen and work with staff to fix it.  Are the standards high? Absolutely, these are human beings we help to live their best lives.  They deserve our best care.  Their lives are IN our care. Their loved ones trust us and depend on us to help them  live their best lives.  When I've had concerns for my clients I've found that management has been quick to look into it and take appropriate action when needed. 
  When needing help from HR my experience has been great.  They quickly return my calls and emails.  I feel very comfortable calling them.  
  Personally I'm a guardian of a special needs adult. So I've been around this industry for over 12 years.  I've seen  a lot,  the good, the bad and the ugly.  Would I be concerned about putting my loved one in their care if needed, NO!  
  Is the work demanding at times absolutely.  Does the company value its employees, without a doubt.  Do they expect you to do your job? Of course.  Are they there to support the employees? My experience has been great in that regards. I love my job and I love working for Austen-Dooley. 

As a manager with Austen-Dooley, I genuinely believe that this company is constantly learning and growing to better serve individuals with disabilities across the state of Missouri and beyond. Our team has been restructured and is working hard to listen to the needs of our direct support staff, LPNs, and RNs so that everyone can complete their jobs effectively and efficiently while still having fun.

The most difficult part about a direct support or LPN position is that our consumers rely on you. They come to trust and depend on you, and that can be a very large burden for someone looking for a casual job.

This becomes the best part of the job as well, as working with these individuals can be highly rewarding and teach you a lot about yourself! The company provides multiple specialized trainings to help team members acquire knowledge of medical and behavioral treatments. Our company has multiple avenues for receiving pay raises and strives to be accommodating to team members' schedules. The energy of the homes depends on what you bring to it! Overall, we have an amazing team that brings positivity and passion to their work every day.

Austen-Dooley is a great company to work for. I was a direct care support staff with them part-time and PRN. I learned how to be a team player, communicate efficiently with other staff and clients, and how to time manage. The management is easy to contact and work with. The management team truly cares about their staff and goes out of their way to show that. In my time at Austen-Dooley the management made meetings enjoyable and even brought in treats for staff on holidays to show their appreciation. The hardest part of the job is the challenges that come with working with medically compromised clients, however, I also consider that to be the most enjoyable part of the job because it is so rewarding. The relationships you create with the clients are second to none. Overall, I believe Austen-Dooley is a great company and a special place to work. I only left because I moved out of the area. I strongly recommend this company.

Working for Austen Dooley Company is enjoyable and rewarding!  The services they offer the Developmentally Disabled are exceptional.  The level of care and services are excellent.  High standards are expected from each and every employee to be able to continue to provide such great services.  Genuinely care about the well being of their consumers and their involvement within the communities in which they reside.  

Pay is competitive and trainings are provided through the company!  Pay increases offered upon completion of certain trainings.  Benefits offered are also competitive and easily accessible for employees.  

The owners of the company constantly work to provide the nicest of homes for the consumers and management works to help personalize each persons space!  Special events and community outings are so much fun and everyone has a great time.

I worked there for 7 months before I had enough. I was stuck with a coworker that did not do anything and was causing drama 24/7. Management wouldn’t do anything about it and just let it happen. There was several occasions I brought up issues and they just got swept under the rug. Constantly texting or calling you to work shifts when you’ve already worked 40+ Hours a week. They expect you to work around immune suppressed individuals  when you are running a fever and are contagious. Definitely not willing to work with you on anything. You are hired for a certain house and you get moved to another. Most of time working alone because they won’t hire anyone to help you. 
Definitely don’t try to talk to management in Springfield or even KC home office because none of the listen and will threaten to terminate you over nothing. 


Managers do not care what goes on inside the home and if a worker reports what’s going on, that worker is more than likely wrote up or terminated. Residents are mistreated all the time and they are in connection with the hospitals and state officials so that things can be kept under the radar. 75-80% of the employees are not medically inclined and do not do their jobs. You are likely to work with someone that doesn’t pick up their slack and when reporting this, management will tell u they don’t want to hear the snitching. If you care about people this is not the place for you, it will interfere with your morals as well as ethics because this company does not uphold their ethics at all. Management, overall, is very lazy. You can not count on the support of management in any way

houses are filthy and residents aren't cared for in a manner in which i'd want my own family treated, homes aren't maintained by doing simple preventive maintenance (trimming trees, cleaning gutters etc) vehicles aren't maintained as they should be and are filthy. very unorganized from owners on down to the managers then down to the staff, staff spread rumors and stab each other in the back but there again that's going on with the owner doing the same to his business partner so it's  trickle down effect. the owner expects the maintenance guy to run his personal errands, which takes away time from the maintenance dept which is already spread thin. the pay ins't that great considering you will have no family life if you work here, they expect you to work overtime without telling you prior to being hired that you will need to work OT.

I really enjoyed the consumers and most of the co-workers. There are always a few bad eggs but they normally don't stay around long. You much be a patient and loving person when working those with disabilities and realize you are there for them in THEIR home. Cooking, cleaning, changing adult diapers, bathing, laundry etc. Everything you would expect someone would do in their own home or expect of someone to take care of their loved one do. Many go in as a job and are lazy and hateful, if you are one of these people then please go somewhere else. Also lots of paperwork and doctors appointments for those in need. Some days go by very quickly and others you feel like you accomplished very little.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Direct support professional 33 salaries reported	$19.44 per hour
Licensed practical nurse 8 salaries reported	$30.75 per hour
Registered nurse 14 salaries reported	$38.25 per hour
Qualified professional 6 salaries reported	$61,250 per year
Community nurse 1 salary reported	$75,000 per year

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