Overworked Nurses in States with Critical Staff Shortage at Care Facilities

Vivian Health, a leading health care platform, recently conducted an in-depth examination of payroll data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The purpose was to gain insights into where registered nurses (RNs) working in long-term care facilities put in the longest shifts. This analysis is crucial as staffing shortages continue to plague nursing homes across the United States. 
 
Before COVID-19 hit, workforce capacity in nursing homes was already dwindling. The pandemic only served to exacerbate this issue significantly. According to the 2023 "National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report" by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), there were 8.4% fewer employees within nursing and residential care settings since January 2020. 
 
Factors beyond COVID have also contributed critically towards staff shortages at these facilities. Burnout among healthcare workers seems rampant due to occupational hazards, extended work hours, exposure to violence, low wages coupled with high workload demands—all contributing factors that correlate with increased burnout rates amongst RNs operating within long-term care settings. 
 
When overworked nurses seek less stressful environments or more rewarding roles elsewhere, staffing issues worsen significantly, leaving behind a skeleton crew of overwhelmed caregivers dealing with increasing responsibilities. In fact, nearly half of newly licensed nurses are reportedly doing overtime while about one-tenth hold down second jobs. 
 
The CMS data further reveals that Alaska's RNs average approximately 11.9-hour shifts, making it top on states where nurses work extended hours amidst severe nurse shortage crises projected at over 5k vacancies come 2030! Utah follows closely, averaging around 11.77-hour shifts per day compounded by an aging nurse population nearing retirement age, which could potentially cripple their health sector even further! 
 
Nevada, Montana, and Kentucky—largely rural areas—face similar challenges driven primarily by the uneven distribution of healthcare professionals who tend toward urbanized regions. 
   
Long shift durations alongside persistent staff shortages can have severe implications on nurses' mental health, leading to burnout, distress, and illness. Additionally, the quality of patient care is often compromised as fatigue sets in amongst overworked caregivers, resulting in increased errors that jeopardize patient safety and overall satisfaction. 
 
In an attempt to mitigate this crisis, new staffing requirements were issued in April 2024 aimed at addressing worker overload and persistent staff shortages. However, a vast majority of nursing homes are ill-equipped to meet these demands, with the American Health Care Association (AHCA) reporting that only about 6% can currently adhere fully. 
   
With such grim prospects ahead, many nursing homes are limiting admissions, while others fear imminent closure if workforce challenges persist. According to AHCA data, two-thirds of long-term care facilities harbor concerns regarding potential permanent closures due to unresolvable staffing issues, a situation that could prove disastrous for both residents and their families as well as facility employees alike. 
 
The Vivian Health study highlights crucial areas within healthcare requiring urgent attention from stakeholders across board—from policymakers through regulators down to training institutions—all hands must be on deck towards resolving the looming crisis within our long-term care facilities.