An Economic Policy Institute report shows the nursing home staff shortage in Nebraska is due to low wages and substandard working conditions, KMAland reported Aug. 7.
Nursing home caregivers earn a median wage of $15 an hour, compared to the national average for the overall workforce of $20 per hour.
Staff shortages in the state's nursing homes are also affecting its hospitals.
"We've seen recently, just in the Omaha area, hospital emergency rooms start to back up because beds weren't available," Jeremy Nordquist, president of the Nebraska Hospital Association, told the publication. "Because we didn't have enough skilled nursing facilities and nursing homes around the state to take those patients."
The report recommended Nebraska set aside more public funds to increase nursing home staff wages and improve workplace conditions for better recruitment and retention of staff.