Human Resources Perspective – Staffing Shortages:
Policy/Procedure: Policies and procedures need to be up-to-date and meet current guidelines. Staffing should be at the appropriate levels to meet resident acuity levels and individual needs.
Implementation: Facility management will be educated on appropriate staffing levels.
Audit: Census and staffing should be reviewed daily by facility management and senior management to ensure appropriate levels.
Complaints about the quality of care and conditions at a New York nursing home continue to accumulate. Over the last several weeks, more than a dozen families have told local media stories about the care their loved ones receive(d) while at the facility. Current and former employees told media that the facility is often understaffed, and they cannot keep up with the needs of the residents. The 124-bed facility is at 90 percent capacity, according to public records maintained by the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH). NYSDOH does not provide public records on the number of employees working at nursing facilities, and the CEO of the facility has ignored dozens of calls, emails, and social media messages requesting comment. Most of the families who have come forward say the same thing. One woman is suing the facility after she nearly lost her leg due to an untreated MRSA infection in an open wound she developed while there as a resident. “It’s understaffed. The few that are there that care, really care. And the ones that don’t care, you can tell they really don’t care,” she said.
