Safe Staffing Rules For PA Nursing Homes
Pennsylvania nursing homes are required to provide minimum staffing ratios for residents. Will minimum staffing requirements improve safety for the elderly living in nursing homes? Let’s look at the details.
Nursing Homes Fought Minimum Staffing
It is important to note, nursing home owners fought against rules for minimum staffing requirements. Not every nursing home owner, but there was a large group that wanted to continue with the status quo. Why?
Costs. Hiring more staff lowers profits. Some nursing homes operate as cheaply as possible to keep profits as high as possible. But this comes at a cost to the safety and quality of residents and staff.
Pandemic Forces Changes
The increase in nursing staff requirements is part of a movement to increase patient and staff safety and care in the United States. During the COVID pandemic, Pennsylvania nursing home residents and staff suffered the most.
Nursing homes already operating with low staffing levels revealed the grizzly consequences of understaffing. With fewer healthy employees to care for residents, many residents died of neglect. Sadly, nursing home neglect is not isolated to the COVID pandemic.
New Staffing Ratios July 1, 2023
On July 1, 2023, Pennsylvania nursing homes are required to provide the following staffing ratios.
Day Shift: 1 LPN per 25 residents and 1 CNA per 12 residents
Evening Shift: 1 LPN per 30 residents and 1 CNA per 12 residents
Night Shift: 1 LPN per 40 residents and 1 CNA per 20 residents
New Staffing Ratios July 1, 2024
On July 1, 2024, CNA-to-resident ratios increase. Nursing homes must have the following CNA staffing ratios.
Day Shift: 1 CNA per 10 residents
Evening Shift: 1 CNA per 11 residents
Night Shift: 1 CNA per 15 residents
Increase In Patient Care Hours
The new nursing home rules also increase the number of direct care hours for each resident. Nursing homes already understaffed would neglect patients. The increase in direct care hours and increase in staff should help reduce neglect in nursing homes.
New Direct Care Hours July 1, 2023
Each resident in a Pennsylvania nursing home will receive at least 2 hours and 52 minutes of direct care in every 24-hour period. On July 1, 2024, the direct care hours increases to 3 hours and 12 minutes per resident. This isn’t a perfect solution, but we expect a reduction in neglect and injuries at many nursing homes.
Neglect In Nursing Homes
Nursing home neglect is preventable, but it still happens. While an increase in direct care hours and staffing will help prevent more cases of neglect, it probably won’t prevent all neglect.
RELATED ARTICLE: Nursing Home Director Pleads No Contest To Neglect
If your elderly loved one suffers severe neglect at a nursing home, contact a nursing home neglect attorney for help. An attorney can help you understand your legal options and hold wrongdoers accountable.
Nursing Home Neglect Attorneys
An attorney at Haggerty Silverman & Justice is here to help you. Contact us today if you or a loved one are the victim of nursing home neglect. Schedule a free consultation with an attorney. You don’t pay us anything unless we recover money for you.