CMS will begin posting staff turnover rates and weekend staff levels for nursing homes on its Care Compare website, it said Jan. 26.
Staff turnover refers to the percent of nursing staff and number of administrators who have stopped working at a nursing home over a 12-month period and includes licensed nurse staff, licensed practical and vocational nurses and nurse aides. Weekend staffing refers to the level of total nurse and registered nurse staffing on weekends provided by each nursing home over a quarter.
"CMS has long identified staffing as a vital component of a nursing home's ability to provide quality care, and CMS has used staffing data to more accurately and effectively gauge its impact on quality of care in nursing homes," said CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure.
"The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of staffing for the well-being of residents and it's more important now than ever that CMS release any information related to staffing that can improve quality," said Ms. Brooks-LaSure. "Residents and their families will also find this information valuable as they consider a nursing home for themselves or a loved one."