No. 1, fewer people are interested in working with geriatric patients. It is hard work, and it's not rewarding to lots of young people who would rather have computer jobs. We need to do a better job with pay and benefits and in management so people aren't going out the back door.
Some advocates propose increasing minimum nurse staffing.
There are no federal requirements, but many states, including Georgia, have minimum staffing ratios, as do independent accrediting agencies, for registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and nurses' aides. In Georgia, the minimum staffing requirements are 2.0 nursing hours per patient per day, according to the Department of Human Resources. Nurses' aides accounted for the majority of the hours, followed by licensed practical nurses and registered nurses, which together accounted for just more than one hour of staffing per resident day. The findings demonstrate that there are significantly more problems in facilities with less than 12 minutes of registered nursing care, less than 45 minutes of total licensed staff care, and less than two hours of nursing aide care per resident per day. The results are troubling, and suggest that many facilities may need to increase staffing levels.