Study highlights Skilled Nursing Facility staffing shortages during COVID-19

A recent study examines the widespread staffing shortages in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings, published in Health Services Research, offer insights into the cause of these shortages, impact on remaining staff, and potential strategies for future workforce sustainability. Rachel Prusynski DPT, PhD, and Tracy Mroz, PhD, OTR/L, worked on the study along with lead author Natalie Leland, PhD, OTR/L, from the University of Pittsburgh, and colleagues from other institutions. 

The study involved one-on-one interviews with 94 leaders from nursing homes across the country. These interviews took place from January 2021 to December 2022. Several key themes emerged, including staffing shortages, increased workload, and the need for cross-training. 

SNF leaders reported staffing shortages across all job roles, including direct care such as nursing and social service roles, support services, administrative staff, and leadership. There were many reasons for these shortages, including competing salaries, family caregiving needs, and burnout. Staff who remained felt the impacts of these shortages. Their workloads increased, and they had to take on additional duties. These additional tasks included essential day-to-day operations, such as laundry, and new pandemic-related activities like COVID-19 screening. Cross-training was utilized to cover a wide range of job functions, including patient care.

The study highlights the need for policies that support SNF staff across all roles, not just direct care workers. These policies should address systemic issues contributing to staffing shortages, such as pay differentials and burnout. Additionally, pandemic-era strategies, like cross-training and job role flexibility, should be leveraged to create a sustainable workforce that can meet patient needs.