Staffing Levels

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted long-standing issues of understaffing and insufficient care delivery in nursing homes. On February 28, 2022, the Biden Administration announced it would be implementing a minimum staffing standard for nursing homes and increasing scrutiny on corporate owned nursing homes. This report analyzes federal data regarding nursing home staffing levels and how it effects residents' outcomes.

Starting on Wednesday, January 26, CMS began posting new information on the Care Compare website to help consumers better understand staffing levels and concerns at nursing home facilities that can influence the quality of care being provided to residents. Information on staff turnover and weekend staff will be posted for each facility.

The National Center for Health Statistics' Long-Term Care Statistics Branch released a report on variation in residential care community nurse and aide staffing levels in the United States. This report presents national and state estimates of staffing levels in residential care communities for registered nurses, licensed practical or vocational nurses, and aides in the United States for 2014.