Title: Understaffing in Nursing Homes Leads to Low Standard of Care
Headings: Nursing Home Understaffing Leads to Poor Quality Care and Elder Abuse
Nursing Home Understaffing Leads to Poor Quality Care and Elder Abuse
Why Resident-to-Staff Ratio Is Important
According to Federal data, most nursing homes have fewer staff than they report.
When there is understaffing in nursing homes, essential tasks are neglected, such as:
Hiring Unqualified Staff Puts Residents at Risk
Untrained staff have many shortfalls, including:
Increasing Numbers of Qualified Staff to Raise the Standard of Care
Author:

Content: One facility had eight residents to each caregiver on their best-staffed day. On their lowest-staffed day, this increased to 18 residents for every caregiver. When the ratio of residents to staff is off, caregivers are overwhelmed with responsibilities. They scramble to provide medication, meals and care to the residents who depend on them. Many residents need help getting dressed or using the bathroom. Without an aide on hand, these residents are left feeling helpless and neglected. When there is understaffing in nursing homes, essential tasks are neglected, such as: Adjusting residents to prevent bed sores
Checking up on patients and noting changes in health
Keeping residents clean to prevent infection
Preventing dangerous falls by helping residents move around
Staff members end up feeling stressed and upset by their lack of ability to provide quality care to their patients. As a result, they may become bitter, taking out their frustration on residents. This is where physical or verbal abuse becomes an issue.