As shifting state staffing mandates and looming federal requirements run up against the ongoing nursing home workforce shortage, industry leaders are taking a closer look at how exactly staffing requirements have affected quality of care.
AARP Florida on Monday released a report outlining the state’s direct care requirements for the last decade – and how they have affected quality just as residents were experiencing higher acuity and complications from chronic diseases.
Specifically, Johnson said changes made during the last legislative session in 2022 endangered patient care – reducing daily minimum certified nursing assistant (CNA) hours from 2.5 to 2, with personal care assistants (PCAs) or aides-in-training, counting toward this 2-hour requirement.
Licensed nurses, both registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs), must still provide each resident with at least one hour of care per day.
Overall, Florida’s daily care requirement is 3.6 hours per resident. The big difference – and what sets Florida apart from other states – was in the 0.6 hours not provided by a CNA, LPN or RN. Non-nursing staff, including but not limited to dietary, therapeutic, mental health and paid feeding assistants count toward this remainder.
More recently, the American Health Care Association (AHCA) found workforce challenges were rampant across both private and government-run nursing homes. State veterans’ homes and other government-run facilities, just like private nursing homes, are struggling to find workers and recover after staffing losses during the pandemic.
The staffing shortages are also leading to empty beds and lost revenue for nursing homes.
Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs reported 34 veterans awaiting placement and 120 applications in progress. Port St. Lucie, for example, in the state has 120 available beds but only a staggering 19 residents.