
Nursing staff are the primary caregivers in post-acute care, where high-quality care is contingent upon their adequacy and expertise. However, agency nurses and quality of care have become increasingly linked, as staffing challenges—exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic—have led providers to rely on agency/contract labor to alleviate shortages. In a recent study published in Medical Care unraveling the impact of agency nursing staff on nursing home quality, the conclusion was that the use of agency nursing staff can negatively impact nursing home quality. In fact, a 10% increase in agency registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and certified nursing assistants was associated with a decrease in the odds of achieving a higher star rating by 4%, 5%, and 4%, respectively.
It is important to know that agency labor is not going to disappear any time soon, especially considering the acute shortage of nurses. Turnover among both nursing staff and administrators is very high, and constant changes can disrupt residents’ care. “Nursing homes need to focus on retaining and recruiting staff by offering competitive wages, especially since nursing home wages are significantly lower than hospitals, good benefits and clear career paths” says Rohit Pradhan, health services researcher at Texas State University told McKnight’s Long-Term Care News.
McKnight’s featured a question in its 2024 Mood of the Market survey that asked about good things that happened at work over the last year, two responses ran neck and neck: less use of agency staff and better mood among staff in the workplace. More than 36% of all respondents chose each of those answers with a better mood slightly ahead at 36.9%. Despite finding many positives when asked, the share of respondents (66.6%) who agreed their work was “very meaningful” continued a two-year slide, down from 73.1% in 2022 and 73% last year.
Are we making progress? Absolutely, so congratulations on the hard work! Can we improve? Absolutely! Let’s get our thinking caps on and identify ways to show appreciation, value, and meaningfulness in the work our caregivers do day in and day out. Show appreciation with a kind word, maybe a birthday card in the mail, knowing the struggles staff may be having and checking in with them on a personal level. Remember, being appreciated and feeling their work is meaningful can make all the difference! Stay well and stay informed!