Journal article
Nursing Home Social Services Directors' Opinions About the Number of Residents They Can Serve
Journal of Aging & Social Policy, Vol.22(1), pp.33-52
12/31/2009
DOI: 10.1080/08959420903396426
PMID: 20390711
Abstract
An appropriate number of qualified staff is a key factor contributing to quality of care and quality of life for nursing home residents. While much of the literature focuses on the importance of adequate nursing ratios, this descriptive study is the first to focus on the social services staff ratio. Nationally representative survey results from over 1,000 nursing home social services directors reveal that the mean number of residents per full-time equivalent social worker in the United States is 89.3 and the median is 79 residents (note that this figure includes both long-term and subacute residents). Furthermore, although the federal government requires nursing homes with more than 120 beds to employ 1 full-time qualified social worker to meet resident psychosocial needs, when asked their opinion, the majority of respondents indicated that 1 full-time social worker could handle 60 or fewer long-term care residents or 20 or fewer subacute care residents. Nursing home characteristics helped to explain the variation in social services directors' opinions. These findings suggest that the federal policy related to social services staffing should be revisited. Policy makers would benefit from reliable and current data regarding social service staffing. Research is needed to understand the relationship between social services staffing and resident outcomes.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Nursing Home Social Services Directors' Opinions About the Number of Residents They Can Serve
- Creators
- Mercedes Bern-Klug - Assistant Professor, John A. Hartford Geriatric Social Work , University of IowaKatherine W. O Kramer - Doctoral Student, College of Public Health , University of IowaPeggy Sharr - Research Assistant, School of Social Work , University of IowaInez Cruz - Doctoral Student, School of Social Work , University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of Aging & Social Policy, Vol.22(1), pp.33-52
- Publisher
- Taylor & Francis Group
- DOI
- 10.1080/08959420903396426
- PMID
- 20390711
- ISSN
- 0895-9420
- eISSN
- 1545-0821
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 12/31/2009
- Academic Unit
- International Programs; School of Social Work
- Record Identifier
- 9983984543402771
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