5 states permanently increased nursing homes’ minimum staffing requirements since COVID, analysis shows

McKnight's May 18, 2022
Danielle Brown

Nearly a dozen states have changed their minimum staffing requirements for nursing homes in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Five of those (Arkansas, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York and Rhode Island) have permanently increased their minimum staffing requirements. Meanwhile, at least two states (Oregon and South Carolina) have temporarily decreased their minimum staffing ratios to compensate for staffing shortages.

Rhode Island adopted the largest increase. Nursing homes went from a required 0.32 hours of direct care per resident, per-day pre-COVID to 4.1 hours per resident day, data showed.

for the state jumped from a...

Today's Sponsors

Today's Sponsor