Higher proportions of agency nursing staff are associated with lower CMS star-rating scores for nursing homes, a recent study found.
1. The study, published Dec. 27 in Medical Care, analyzed data from 80,244 nursing facilities. It compared data from CMS' Payroll-Based Journal, Care Compare tool, LTCFocus.org, and rural-urban commuting area codes from 2017 to 2022 to the facilities' CMS 5-star quality rating system scores and proportions of agency nursing staff hours per resident day for registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and certified nurse assistants.
2. Researchers found that a 10% increase in agency staff was associated with a decrease in the odds of achieving a higher star rating by 4% to 5%.
"The use of agency nursing staff can negatively impact nursing home quality," the study authors wrote. "Efforts to better integrate agency nursing staff into nursing homes, combined with strategies to recruit and retain permanent nursing staff, could lead to improved outcomes for residents."