New Report Tracks Change in Florida Nursing Home Care

Nurse and non-nurse staffing in Florida nursing homes “appears to be on a downward trajectory,” pointing to an “urgent need” to understand staffing patterns and how to increase time devoted to resident care, says an AARP Florida study.

The reasons for the reduction include widespread post-pandemic burnout, economic shifts and legislative changes in April 2022 that reduced nurse staffing requirements. AARP Florida opposed those changes, which it said could harm patient care.

The study found that between April 2021 and October 2022, the amount of direct care provided by nursing staff dropped from an average of more than 3.9 hours per resident per day—well above the state’s minimum requirement—to 3.6. Find the report at aarp.org/flnursinghomestaff.