Nursing homes are required to follow regulatory guidelines when staffing their facilities. Recent research findings have shown nursing homes are inadequately staffed with registered nurses (RN) and licensed practical nurses (LPN). The federal Nursing Home Reform Act only requires minimum staffing levels for RN’s and LPN’s. According to Elder Law, RN’s are required to be on duty at least 8 hours a day, 7 days a week; and a licensed nurse (RN or LPN) on duty the rest of the time. In a facility with less than 60 beds, one registered nurse operates as the director of nursing (DON), as well. It is a fact that a facility with 200 beds has the same staffing requirements as a facility with 50 beds. Nurse aides employed by nursing homes do not require a minimum staffing level; they are required to have minimum educational training with only 75 hours of training, this work population normally has a high turnover rate (Zhang, Unruh, Liu, & Wan, 2006). The intended targets for this petition is to bring awareness to the general public and lobbying for stiffer regulations to be in place defining staff to client ratio in nursing homes.  

       Research findings have indicated that prompt staff response is responsible for the quality of care in nursing homes. Inadequate staffing in nursing homes is responsible for the decrease in the quality care of a patient’s basic needs. Inadequate staffing refers to client to staff ratio and the amount of quality time not spent with each patient (Schnelle et al., 2004).  

       Presently, there are more than a one million individuals in United States nursing homes. Inadequate staffing in nursing homes is only one reason patients become victims of abuse in nursing homes. Elder abuse and/or neglect, defined by The American Medical Association (AMA), are “an act of commission or omission that results in harm or threatened harm to the health or welfare of an older adult” (Allen, Kellet, & Gruman, 2003).

       A study was conducted proving there is a correlation between adequate staffing and

detrimental outcomes that directly affect the elderly or disabled in nursing homes. Inadequate staffing has been associated with poor hygiene and decreased participation in activities (Schnell et al., 2004). More than 50% of nursing home caregivers has admitted being verbally abusive to nursing home patients. Staff members of a nursing facility conducted surveys and found 40% of their employees admits to have been psychologically abusive to patients (Allen, Kellet, & Gruman, 2003).

       The first action needed to prevent inadequate staffing in nursing homes is to revamp the regulatory guidelines (Zhang, Unruh, Liu, & Wan, 2006). Secondly, nursing homes should utilize agency staffing to a minimum and maintain a regular staff (Castle & Engberg, 2008). Every nursing home should maintain an adequate amount of regular staffed employees that the patients are familiar with. The intended outcome of this needed change is to discontinue inadequate staffing in nursing homes, bring awareness to the public, and lobby for stiffer regulatory guidelines (Castle & Engberg, 2008).