Nursing homes face significant hurdles in meeting new staffing requirements due to difficulties in expanding their workforce.

Here is a summary of the article in three parts:

Background and Issue‍

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has introduced new regulations that mandate minimum staffing levels for nursing homes. The final rule requires a minimum of 3.48 hours per resident per day (HPRD) of total staffing, with specific allocations for registered nurses (RN) and nurse aides. This standard encompasses 0.55 HPRD of direct RN care and 2.45 HPRD of direct nurse aide care.

Industry Concerns and Challenges

The American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) estimates that the new regulations will cost $6.5 billion annually and require an additional 102,000 clinicians. Industry leaders have expressed concerns about the feasibility of meeting these requirements, citing existing staffing shortages and high turnover rates. Many nursing homes rely on agency workers to fill gaps in their staffing, but this is seen as a less desirable solution due to inconsistent care.

Path Forward

Nursing homes will need to develop robust recruitment and retention strategies, utilize effective facility assessments, and apply for exemptions and waivers where necessary. The focus should be on ensuring that staffing levels are not only compliant with federal requirements but also sufficient to provide high-quality care tailored to the specific needs of residents. Industry experts advise reducing reliance on agency staff and instead employing a stable, dedicated team. However, this will be challenging in the current labor market.

Overall, the new regulations pose significant challenges for nursing homes, and industry leaders are calling for support and resources to help them adapt to these changes.