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The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has established minimum staffing standards for nursing homes participating in Medicare and Medicaid. The new rule requires nursing homes to provide residents with at least 3.48 hours of nursing care per day, including 0.55 hours from a registered nurse and 2.45 hours from a nurse aide. Additionally, nursing homes must have a registered nurse on-site at all times to provide skilled nursing care.

The minimum staffing standards are the first to be set by CMS at a national level and aim to improve care for nursing home residents while supporting workers. The new rule also includes enhanced facility assessment requirements and staffing plans to maximize workforce recruitment and retention. CMS will invest over $75 million in a national nursing home staffing campaign to bolster the nurse workforce in the sector.

The implementation of the minimum staffing standards will be phased, with staggered effective dates based on geographic location. Nursing homes will need to meet facility assessment requirements within 90 days of the final rule's publication, and must meet at least 3.48 hours per resident day and the 24/7 registered nurse requirement within two years. The full minimum staffing standards will be effective within five years.

The new rule is a response to concerns about inadequate staffing in nursing homes, which can lead to poor care quality. According to CMS, only 19% of nursing homes currently meet the proposed staffing standards. The rule aims to address this issue and ensure that residents receive high-quality care.

This text appears to be a table from a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on influenza and COVID-19 vaccination coverage among healthcare personnel in the United States during the 2022-23 influenza season.

Here are some key points that can be gleaned from the table:

• The table reports on data from over 4,600 healthcare facilities across the US.
• Influenza vaccination coverage among healthcare personnel (HCP) ranged from 74.1% to 91.3%, with an average of 84.6%.
• COVID-19 up-to-date vaccination coverage among HCP ranged from 16.1% to 40.7%, with an average of 23.5%.
• Vaccination coverage varied by facility type, size, and region.
• The South region had the lowest influenza vaccination coverage (74.1%) and the Pacific region had the highest (91.3%).
• The Mountain region had the lowest COVID-19 up-to-date vaccination coverage (16.1%) and the Pacific region had the highest (40.7%).

Overall, the table suggests that while there is room for improvement, many healthcare facilities have made progress in vaccinating their personnel against influenza and COVID-19.

A recent study has found that approximately 75% of nursing homes in the United States do not meet federal staffing expectations for registered nurses (RNs). The research, conducted by Harvard and Vanderbilt medical schools, analyzed payroll data from over 15,000 nursing homes across the country. The findings revealed that RNs are often absent from facilities on weekends, with 91% of facilities meeting expected staffing levels less than 60% of the time.

The study also found a significant discrepancy between self-reported staffing levels and actual staffing levels. Researchers discovered that 70% of facilities reported higher total direct staffing under the CASPER system compared to the Payroll-Based Journal (PBJ) system, which is now the standard for reporting staffing levels. The discrepancy was most pronounced at for-profit facilities.

The study's findings have broader implications than just staffing levels. David Grabowski, a co-author of the study, noted that many quality measures reported on Nursing Home Compare are self-reported and subject to bias. He suggested that CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) should increase auditing of these measures to improve reporting accuracy.

Industry leaders have responded to the study's findings by highlighting the challenges of recruiting and paying staff in the long-term care sector. Organizations such as LeadingAge and the American Health Care Association (AHCA) argued that judging nursing home quality solely on staffing levels is misguided, citing other important metrics such as care outcomes and patient satisfaction.

The study's authors concluded that CMS should leverage daily payroll data to incorporate staffing variation over time in its calculation of star ratings. They also suggested that surveyors should be aware of whether the staffing level at the time of inspection is typical, rather than relying on self-reported numbers or "staffing up" for inspections.

This is a research article from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) discussing influenza vaccination coverage among health care personnel in acute care hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Here's a summary of the key points:

Decline in Influenza Vaccination Coverage

• The study found that influenza vaccination coverage among health care personnel (HCP) in acute care hospitals declined significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The decline was observed across all HCP types, including employees, licensed independent practitioners, and student trainees or volunteers.

Comparison of Pre-Pandemic and Pandemic Periods

• During the pre-pandemic period (2017-18 to 2019-20), influenza vaccination coverage among HCP increased steadily.
• However, during the pandemic period (2020-21 to 2022-23), vaccination coverage declined significantly.

Urbanicity and Vaccination Coverage

• The study found that urbanicity was associated with higher vaccination coverage rates.
• Rural areas had lower vaccination coverage rates compared to suburban and urban areas.

Key Findings

• Influenza vaccination coverage among HCP in acute care hospitals declined from 85.1% in the 2019-20 season to 51.6% in the 2022-23 season.
• The odds of being vaccinated were lower during the pandemic period compared to the pre-pandemic period.
• Licensed independent practitioners had significantly lower vaccination coverage rates compared to employees and student trainees or volunteers.

Implications

• The decline in influenza vaccination coverage among HCP is concerning, as it may compromise the health and safety of patients and staff in healthcare settings.
• Strategies are needed to promote and support influenza vaccination among HCP, particularly during pandemics.