Staffing issues have become problematic for long-term care. A recent survey found that over 75% of care workers are considering changing their jobs, while a huge 45% are even thinking of changing their entire career path. It should come as no surprise that the top concerns for these care workers are staffing shortages and intense clinical workloads.
The survey focused on approximately 3,000 nurses and nursing assistants and asked questions regarding care priorities, major concerns in the industry, and even advice for providers. However, the problem of staffing shortages proved to be a widespread concern among most surveyed. 46% reported working in a facility that was understaffed and about 84% shared that they were picking up additional shifts as much as every week. These individuals felt that these issues were more important than increased salaries. After all, staffing changes the entire work environment.
The survey also shed light on the issues that the COVID-19 pandemic brought on. While the pandemic was mostly of concern in 2020 and 2021, the lasting effects are still quite relevant. Danielle Roques, RN, and Katherine Zheng, PhD, wrote that “while the pandemic highlighted workplace challenges for nursing professionals and facilities alike, it was not the cause, as many of these longstanding problems continue to persist with no apparent end in sight.”
However, despite the apparent issues, 74% of care staff have hope that their care will improve for residents. Perhaps this hope comes as a result of CMS’s proposed staffing mandate that has become a topic of conversation these past few months. Care workers feel that they can perform better at their jobs when they can dedicate their full time and attention to residents. Therefore, “if a nurse or nurse aide feels they can’t provide adequate care due to the workload, they would be more likely to leave,” says Amy Stewart, chief nursing officer for the American Association of Post-Acute Care Nursing. Stewart elaborates that “it’s possible that respondents are seeing a decrease in the quality of care delivered because there is such a staffing crisis in long-term care. That, too, will take a toll on staff who come to work to help patients and leave feeling like they didn’t do a good enough job.”
Stewart also noted that “this survey shows that leaders need to be more engaged with staff … [and to] conduct a root cause analysis to determine why employees leave and make changes necessary to fix those issues.”
Staffing is a real problem in nursing homes and long-term care communities. CMS has stepped up through its staffing mandate which will most likely be finalized this year. With staffing requirements not being met, the quality of care has and will continue to decline. Staffing shortages must be addressed to ensure that care standards are being met.
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Source
Henreckson, Josh. “Understaffing, Clinical Demands Driving Trend of Nurses Fleeing Profession.” McKnight’s Long-Term Care News, 7 Feb. 2024, www.mcknights.com/news/understaffing-clinical-demands-driving-trend-of-nurses-fleeing-profession/.
