In February, a New Jersey law went into effect that sets minimum direct-care staff-to-resident ratios in that state’s long-term care (LTC) facilities. The new law requires one CNA for every eight residents for the day shift, one evening shift direct-care staff member for every 10 residents, and one night shift staff member for every 14 residents.
New Jersey isn’t the only state to implement higher staffing ratios. Rhode Island Governor Daniel McKee signed a bill into law this year that mandates an average of at least 3.58 hours of direct nursing care per resident, per day, starting January 1, 2022, and 3.81 hours starting January 1, 2023.
Sufficient nursing staff ensures resident safety and optimal patient care. However, labor costs are already a big strain for most LTC facilities. Continued growth in these costs could stretch facilities too thin, forcing more of them to close.
In such a difficult financial and regulatory environment, what should a hard-working nursing home staffing manager do?
One solution: Instead of, or in addition to, hiring the necessary full-time clinicians, call upon a network of fully vetted, experienced LTC per-diem professionals to work on demand - you schedule them only when you need them.
A staffing model that includes on-demand clinicians is highly effective because it allows LTCs to find value in a number of ways.
Let's look at the top 3 ways CareRev can help:
#1) Adjust your staffing mix to meet patient demands
Meet nurse staffing ratios quickly by supplementing your existing staff with per-diem healthcare professionals. You can develop a network of trained per-diem nursing assistants, LVNs, RNs and other clinicians and turn to them as needed. For example, when you experience a surge, simply broadcast available shifts to your network. Healthcare professionals get notified via the CareRev mobile app, which allows them to pick up shifts right away. Get the coverage you need for a day, a week, or even longer, depending on your needs.
Rest assured, your residents will be in good hands. All CareRev professionals go through a rigorous vetting process that includes background and license checks as well as an in-depth interview with a multi-specialty-trained RN. When you contract a CareRev professional, you’re guaranteed an experienced, licensed professional who’s ready to take care of your residents.
#2) Ease the burden for overworked staff
We’ve all heard stories of overworked nursing home clinicians who have to administer medication to 30 or more residents in two hours, twice a day. That’s on top of checking vitals, preparing reports, performing wound care, and tending to arguments, elopements, and other crises.
Give your hard-working staff some breathing room by calling in per-diem support. They’ll be able to devote more time to each resident, which improves care and lowers risk of mistakes. Plus, staff won’t feel pressured to work overtime, which helps prevent burnout.
Hiring managers and admins also get some relief when working with a cloud-based staffing platform rather than a traditional agency model. They won’t have to juggle multiple calls and emails just to get one per-diem professional in the door. Instead, they can post a shift in minutes. The request goes immediately to CareRev’s network, where a professional picks up the shift in seconds.
3. Save money
You’ve got a shrinking budget and residents that need 24/7 attention. With new staffing requirements, layoffs are out of the question. Instead of the traditional employee model, consider a flexible approach.
Supplementing with per diem talent reduces fixed labor costs because you’re only hiring the people you need when you need them. When you need experienced clinicians, turn to your per-diem network. You’ll not only save on labor costs, you’ll also eliminate expenses associated with recruiting, hiring, and onboarding employees.
By partnering with CareRev, steep agency commissions also disappear. Agencies charge anywhere from 35% to 50% on top of a candidate’s hourly or day rate. The fee to use CareRev’s platform is a fraction of that cost.
LTC facilities faced one of the most difficult years ever during the pandemic, and it’s not over yet. Let CareRev help ease your staffing woes by supplying the skilled healthcare professionals you need in a manner you can afford.
