Insufficient staffing contributes to many of the problems that occur at nursing homes and cause harm to residents. Overworked staff members are more likely to make mistakes and neglect responsibilities, which can result in inadequate care.
Nursing home facilities are responsible for hiring enough employees to care for residents properly. Unfortunately, many fail to meet standards mandated by the law.
Staffing at nursing homes
An investigation showed that around one-third of nursing homes in the U.S. lack sufficient staff to meet government guidelines. Furthermore, even facilities that meet staffing requirements might struggle to provide adequate care for residents. When nursing facilities are short-staffed, there are delays in important caretaking duties that negatively impact residents. This can cause harm by contributing to injuries and illnesses. Residents may also experience discomfort and stress by living in understaffed facilities. Overall, staffing problems are negative for nursing home workers and residents, and the companies that run facilities should adhere to government guidelines.
Violations of staffing laws
Although the government has been trying to improve the laws that regulate nursing care facilities, the current rules have inadequate enforcement. Regulators rarely enforce consequences for nursing homes that lack proper staffing. The result is that many facilities get away with violating staffing guidelines, harming residents in the process. It is crucial to hold these nursing home facilities accountable for failing to meet staffing requirements to improve conditions for people who require long-term care.
Nursing homes should hire adequate numbers of staff members to provide quality care for residents. Unfortunately, many facilities violate staffing regulations, and there is a lack of accountability.