Nursing Home Staffing Levels - and why they matter

Lauren Ellerman

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Do you think 1 RN could care for 30 elderly patients that need help with all activities of daily living? What about 1 RN and 3 Nursing Assistants? Is that enough? Most states don't have minimum staffing level requirements - and while federal law has "minimum" goals for hours staff spend with each patiient, many believe specific requirements must be enacted.

According to the CMS report to Congress, of the facilities providing less than an average
of at least two hours of daily nurse aide care per resident, 22% had a high rate of
avoidable hospitalization and 46% had a high rate of pressure sores compared to 2% and 12%, respectively, of facilities that provide more than an average of at least two hours of daily nurse aide care per resident.

Read more about care and staffing level corelation here.

So why wouldn't you want staffing levels required by law?
- maybe you like the idea of less governmental interference
- maybe it is quality rather than quantity that matters

The real issue is, MONEY. Many in the nursing home industry argue that they cannot afford to hire more direct care staff. Given the type of cases we see everyday, I don't see how they can afford not to!

For more information on this subject, please refer to our section on Nursing Home and Elder Abuse.