We investigated the staffing crisis inside NC nursing homes. Here are five takeaways.
Nursing homes nationwide are struggling to hire and hold on to caregivers. But few states have problems as severe as North Carolina’s, a Charlotte Observer and News & Observer investigation published earlier this week found.
Those shortages are endangering thousands of residents, leaving some to miss crucial medications, develop life-threatening infections and wait hours for help.
Here are five key takeaways from “Left Alone,” an ongoing investigation:
▪ Only about one of every five North Carolina nursing homes meet the staffing threshold recommended by a landmark federal study, compared to one out of every four homes nationally. That helps explain why nursing homes here log lower quality scores than 43 other states.
▪ Most states require minimum staffing ratios for nursing homes. North Carolina isn’t among them. That means homes here can operate with minimal staffing and face little risk of penalty.
▪ The pandemic worsened an already severe problem. Thousands of employees left low-paying nursing home jobs over the past two years — some because they felt overworked and underpaid, others due to job stress, sickness or fear of getting sick.
▪ North Carolina lawmakers and federal regulators removed key protections for residents during the pandemic by sharply curtailing inspections and shielding homes from COVID-19-related lawsuits. A federal policy banning family visits during much of 2020 further reduced oversight.
▪ For-profit companies lag nonprofits on staffing and overall performance. More than 80% of the state’s nursing homes are for-profits, a higher-than-average percentage.
This story was originally published March 30, 2022 at 6:00 AM.
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