How to beat the COVID-19 staffing crisis? Communication, strong oversight
By
Liza Berger
Sep 25, 2020
The pandemic has hammered long-term care on numerous operational fronts, from testing the field’s infection control capabilities to depressing occupancy rates. One of the hardest-hit areas has been staffing.
Hospital discharge pressures build as nursing homes clamor for help
By
Danielle Brown
Jan 25, 2022
Increased COVID-19 case counts at nursing homes nationwide have prevented hospitals from discharging patients into skilled nursing facilities due to a lack of beds.
Advocacy group calls for ‘immediate’ Congressional hearings into nursing home staffing
By
James M. Berklan
Jul 10, 2018
The bipartisan group issued a statement calling “for immediate Congressional hearings into a disturbing report issued this weekend pointing to chronic staff shortages in nursing homes.”
Lawmaker wants more surveys for Special Focus Facility nursing homes
By
Danielle Brown
May 10, 2022
A key U.S. lawmaker is calling on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to address reported lags in surveys of nursing homes in the Special Focus Facility program after finding that 1 in 5 are overdue...
BREAKING: CMS vaccine mandate upheld
By
Kimberly Marselas
James M. Berklan
Jan 13, 2022
A vaccine requirement for staff at all U.S. nursing homes and other federally funded healthcare facilities can proceed, the Supreme Court said in a 5-4 decision Thursday afternoon.
CMS memo: ‘Dramatic staff losses’ not happening due to vax requirements
By
James M. Berklan
Feb 02, 2022
Declaring once again that “Vaccine requirements work,” Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure on Tuesday urged healthcare facility administrators to increase...
Survey: Over half of U.S. nurses attribute burnout to understaffing
By
Alicia Lasek
May 12, 2023
Respondents linked this issue to feelings of overwork, with 71% saying that understaffing is the key reason for poor mental health.
Residents face ‘broad array’ of worsened health outcomes during pandemic: study
By
Alicia Lasek
Mar 23, 2021
The pandemic’s effect on nursing home residents goes well beyond cases and deaths, investigators say. Unplanned weight loss, depression, incontinence, and loss of cognitive function stand out — with...
Senators want to know: Will vets be pulled from state-run VA facilities over vaccine mandates?
By
Kimberly Marselas
Nov 29, 2021
Missouri Sens. Roy Blunt and Josh Hawley, both Republicans, are demanding answers from the Department of Veterans Affairs on how veterans in long-term care facilities could be impacted by federal COVID-19...
States would get more funding to expand long-term care workforce under new proposal
By
Danielle Brown
Aug 26, 2021
States and long-term care providers would receive additional funding to hire and retain workers under a new measure proposed by Democratic lawmakers.