Registered nurse staffing and OBRA deficiencies in Nevada nursing facilities

Nursing Staff Time and Care Quality in Long-Term Care Facilities: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

In long-term care (LTC) facilities, nursing staff are important contributors to resident care and well-being. Despite this, the relationships between nursing staff coverage, care hours, and quality of resident care in LTC facilities are not well understood and have implications for policy-makers. This systematic review summarizes current evidence on the relationship between nursing staff coverage, care hours, and quality of resident care in LTC facilities.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

A structured literature search was conducted using four bibliographic databases and gray literature sources. Abstracts were screened by two independent reviewers using Covidence software. Data from the included studies were summarized using a pretested extraction form. The studies were critically appraised, and their results were synthesized narratively.

RESULTS

The systematic searched yielded 15,842 citations, of which 54 studies (all observational) were included for synthesis. Most studies (n = 53, 98%) investigated the effect of nursing staff time on resident care. Eleven studies addressed minimum care hours and quality of care. One study examined the association between different nursing staff coverage models and resident outcomes. Overall, the quality of the included studies was poor.

DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS

Because the evidence was inconsistent and of low quality, there is uncertainty about the direction and magnitude of the association between nursing staff time and type of coverage on quality of care. More rigorously designed studies are needed to test the effects of different cutoffs of care hours and different nursing coverage models on the quality of resident care in LTC facilities.

Nurse Staffing and Quality of Care of Nursing Home Residents in Korea

PURPOSE

To investigate the relationship between nurse staffing and quality of care in nursing homes in Korea.

METHODS

This study used a cross-sectional design to describe the relationship between nurse staffing and 15 quality-of-care outcomes. Independent variables were hours per resident day (HPRD), skill mix, and turnover of each nursing staff, developed with the definitions of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the American Health Care Association. Dependent variables were prevalence of residents who experienced more than one fall in the recent 3 months, aggressive behaviors, depression, cognitive decline, pressure sores, incontinence, prescribed antibiotics because of urinary tract infection, weight loss, dehydration, tube feeding, bed rest, increased activities of daily living, decreased range of motion, use of antidepressants, and use of restraints. Outcome variables were quality indicators from the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid and 2013 nursing home evaluation manual by the Korean National Health Insurance Service.

FINDINGS

The effects of registered nurse (RN) HPRD was supported in fall prevention, decreased tube feeding, decreased numbers of residents with deteriorated range of motion, and decreased aggressive behavior. Higher turnover of RNs related to more residents with dehydration, bed rest, and use of antipsychotic medication.

CONCLUSIONS

Study results supported RNs' unique contribution to resident outcomes in comparison to alternative nurse staffing in fall prevention, decreased use of tube feeding, better range of motion for residents, and decreased aggressive behaviors in nursing homes in Korea. More research is required to confirm the effects of nurse staffing on residents' outcomes in Korea.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

We found consistency in the effects of RN staffing on resident outcomes acceptable. By assessing nurse staffing levels and compositions of nursing staffs, this study contributes to more effective long-term care insurance by reflecting on appropriate policies, and ultimately contributes to the stable settlement of the long-term care insurance system for elders.

Nursing Staffing and Quality of Life in Western New York Nursing Homes

This study investigated the relationship between nurse staffing and quality of life (QOL) in Western New York State nursing homes. This was a cross-sectional, correlational study. The independent variables were hours per resident day (HPRD), skill mix, and turnover rate of nursing staff. The outcomes were measured using the self-reported QOL instrument. No coefficients were statistically significant with registered nurses’ (RNs) HPRD. Certified nursing assistant (CNA) HPRD had a statistically significant positive impact on the spiritual well-being domain. There was a statistically negative relationship between the amount of licensed practical nurse (LPN) HPRD and food enjoyment; and the ratio of more RNs to fewer LPNs and CNAs had a statistically significant negative influence on the meaningful-activity, food-enjoyment, and security domains. The turnover of RNs had a statistically negative relationship with the sum of each domain. None of the coefficients was statistically significant with LPN turnover.

Effect of nursing home characteristics on residents' quality of life: a systematic review

The association between nursing home (NH) characteristics and residents' quality of life (QOL) has not been systematically reviewed. This study synthesizes published evidence about the association between NH ownership, affiliation, location, chain membership, percentage of private rooms, facility size, and staffing with residents' QOL. We searched Medline, Web of Science, CINAHL, and Scirus for primary studies published between 1960 and March 31, 2012. We critically appraised risk of bias according to study design, QOL measurements, and adjustment for residents' characteristics. We analyzed the statistical and clinical significance, direction and magnitude of the association. From 1117 citations retrieved, we found one longitudinal quasi-experimental and 10 cross-sectional eligible studies. Variability in the NH characteristics reported and QOL measurements precluded meta-analysis. Studies with low and medium risk of bias (ROB) suggested that nonprofit NHs resulted in better QOL for residents. The low ROB study indicated that in certain QOL domains, rural facilities and facilities with a higher percentage of private rooms were associated with better self-reported resident QOL. All low and medium ROB studies found that RN, LVN/LPN and total nursing staff had no significant relationship with QOL. One longitudinal quasi-experimental study indicated that the Green House with individualized care had better QOL than conventional NHs. The available evidence does not permit strong conclusions about the association between NH characteristics and residents' QOL. The evidence does, however, raise questions about whether NH structure alone can improve residents' QOL and how residents' QOL should be measured and improved.

Staffing characteristics, turnover rates, and quality of resident care in nursing facilities

Despite substantial spending and considerable regulatory oversight, the quality of care provided to residents in the nation's nursing facilities is inadequate, and strategies to address this problem are needed. Staffing characteristics are important predictors of quality in nursing facilities, and the relationship between staffing and various quality measures fluctuates across studies and in analyses that account for the effects of market, resident, and organizational characteristics. However and even with such variations, it is has generally been concluded that higher staffing levels, less turnover, and higher retention rates are associated with an array of improved resident and facility outcomes. This article synthesizes literature, including published reports, expert opinion, and peer reviewed studies, on staffing levels, turnover, and quality of care in nursing homes. The findings were used to develop three staffing interventions that need to be further evaluated in an effort to improve the quality of care in nursing facilities.

Registered nurse staffing mix and quality of care in nursing homes: a longitudinal analysis

PURPOSE

To examine the relationship between registered nurse (RN) staffing mix and quality of nursing home care measured by regulatory violations.

DESIGN AND METHODS

A retrospective panel data study (1999-2003) of 2 groups of California freestanding nursing homes. One group was 201 nursing homes that consistently met the state's minimum standard for total nurse staffing level over the 5-year period. The other was 210 nursing homes that consistently failed to meet the standard over the period. All facility and market variables were drawn from California's cost report data and state licensing and certification data, as well as 3 other databases.

RESULTS

The RN to total nurse staffing ratio was negatively related to serious deficiencies in nursing homes that consistently met the staffing standard, whereas the ratio was negatively associated with total deficiencies in nursing homes that consistently failed to meet the standard over the 5-year period. As the RN to licensed vocational nurse ratios increased, total deficiencies and serious deficiencies decreased in both groups of nursing homes.

IMPLICATIONS

A higher RN mix is positively related to quality of care, but the relationship is affected by overall nurse staffing levels in nursing homes. Further studies are necessary for a better understanding of RNs' unique contributions to the quality of care in nursing homes.

Nursing Home Caregiver Staffing Levels and Quality of Care

In this research, the author reviewed 70 studies that had examined the relationship between staffing levels and quality in nursing homes (covering the years 1991 to 2006). The results of the review including all of this literature show that approximately 40% of the quality indicators examined show an association with nursing home staffing levels. Nevertheless, this finding is further interpreted in the context of the limitations of many of these prior studies. The author discusses the limitations of poor quality staffing data, small sample size, quality indicators used, methodological concerns, and underspecified models inherent to many prior studies. The author finds no study representing a “gold standard” exists in this area. Still, the few studies that seem methodologically most robust would seem to indicate that an association between nursing home staffing levels and quality exists. However, the author concludes that studies in this area need to be further enhanced.

Nursing effort and quality of care for nursing home residents

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between nursing home staffing level, care received by individual residents, and resident quality-related care processes and functional outcomes.

DESIGN AND METHODS

Nurses recorded resident care time for 5,314 residents on 156 units in 105 facilities in four states (Colorado, Indiana, Minnesota, and Mississippi). We linked residents' care times to their measures of health and functioning from Minimum Data Set assessments. Major variables were unit- and resident-specific minutes of care per day, process measures (physical restraints, range of motion, toileting program, and training in activities of daily living [ADLs]), outcome measures (ADL decline, mobility decline, and worsening behavior between the time study and 90-day follow-up), and covariates such as unit type and resident health status. We used multilevel analysis to examine staffing and quality relationships.

RESULTS

Residents with toileting programs, range of motion or ADL training, and restraints received significantly more care from unlicensed but not from licensed staff. However, functional outcomes were not significantly related to care received from licensed or unlicensed staff, except for ADL decline, which was greatest for residents receiving more unlicensed minutes of care. Unit staffing level (licensed and unlicensed) was unrelated to any of the care processes or outcome measures, although higher overall staffing was associated with more time devoted to direct resident care.

IMPLICATIONS

Future research into nursing home quality should focus on organization and delivery rather than simply the amount of care available.

A self-reported survey of Alzheimer's centers in Southwestern Pennsylvania

Directors of nursing at 23 nursing homes with Alzheimer's units in Southwestern Pennsylvania completed a self-reported survey of 12 questions. Responses from the self-administered questionnaires (100% response rate) revealed a wide variation in the staff categories assessing the oral health status of newly admitted residents with AD. The respondents described oral examinations that were incomplete when compared to the oral indicators listed in the Minimum Data Set. All nursing homes reported that oral hygiene was provided each day. The number of residents in a facility had a significant effect on the frequency of oral hygiene provided. Only 52% of the facilities reported yearly oral examinations for this population. According to the respondents, dental treatment was typically performed on-site. The oral health care costs were paid by Medicare, Medicaid, the residents/family members, or by other undescribed resources. Insufficient time, staff, and training, as well as uncooperative behavior, were identified as barriers to optimum oral health care for residents with AD. Additional staff, specialized training, and increased government reimbursement were suggested to improve the oral health care for this group of older adults. For future studies, review of medical records and on-site evaluation of the oral health care at these facilities should be required to verify the reported practices.