Of costs and caregivers: Analyzing the impact of staffing recommendations. (Finance).

LATELY, NURSING HOME COSTS, AND PARTICULARLY COSTS OF nursing labor, have been hot issues. Most recently, the Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services released its Phase Two report that outlined its minimum staffing recommendations, though not mandating them at this point. The government study said 3.55 to 4.1 hours of nursing care is needed per day for each resident to avoid common health care problems such as bedsores, weight loss, and loss of bodily functions. The daily recommended composition of these hours per resident is 2.4 for certified nursing assistants (CNAs), 1.15 for licensed nurses (LPNs or RNs), with 0.55 for registered nurses (RNs).

The report also listed "preferred" daily minimums of 2.8 hours of care by CNAs, 1.3 hours by LPNs, …