Staffing Solution?

87 percent of nursing home providers are struggling with unsafe staffing shortages. Dire staffing shortages require facilities to use expensive nurse agencies. They are expensive because workers get a living wage. The use of agency is hurting profit margins. Staffing complaints, burnout, and turnover are increasing and affecting resident safety.

The National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care reported that nursing homes are siphoning billions of taxpayer money through related companies. Some of it should go to safe staffing for resident safety and well-being.

The National Bureau of Economic Research’s paper points to immigration as a promising solution.

The paper found “strong and consistent evidence that increased immigration leads to improved patient care,” as well as a decline in hospitalizations corresponding with an increase in female immigrants. “Collectively, these results suggest that immigrants increase the quality of care of older adults residing in nursing homes.”

Immigrants make up 25 percent of direct care workers in home health care, and 19 percent of workers in nursing homes. Reason.com reported a new study showing immigration could solve the chronic staffing crisis in the long term care industry.