A new study involving more than 80,000 US nursing homes has found a link between the use of staffing agency nurses and lower quality ratings in the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services Five-Star system.
The use of agency registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and certified nursing assistants decreased a facility’s chance of attaining higher star ratings by 4%, 5% and 4%, respectively, researchers discovered. Investigators affiliated with a handful of US universities analyzed facility results from 2017 to 2022 to reach their conclusions.
Researchers said the transient nature of agency nursing staff can create significant challenges for residents and permanent staff members.