Report to Congress: Appropriateness of minimum nurse staffing ratios in nursing homes Phase I

Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA)

This report attempts to find a relationship between the level of staffing in nursing homes and quality of care. Although the report makes no specific recommendations, guidelines are suggested based on data collected from the time-motion study, the multivariate analysis of relationships between quality care and staffing, and the literature review. This report acknowledges the possibility that government should identify staffing thresholds below which residents are compromised or at a substantial risk of increased quality problems.