Tackling the Long-Term Care Workforce Crisis: Lessons from the Staffing Solutions for Nursing Homes Program

Nursing homes across the U.S. continue to face unprecedented staffing challenges, from high turnover rates to workforce burnout. These issues impact both staff satisfaction and resident care outcomes. But what if there could be a structured, evidence-based approach to overcoming these barriers?

In this post, we’ll share audio clips from the latest Taking Healthcare by Storm episode, which highlights the Staffing Solutions for Nursing Homes (SSNH) program. This innovative initiative by Quality Insights tackled staffing challenges such as hiring, retention, workplace culture, and employee engagement, all with the ultimate aim to enhance employee satisfaction and resident quality of care.

The Problem: A Workforce Crisis in Long-Term Care

Staffing shortages in nursing homes are nothing new. However, the pandemic exacerbated the situation, leading to:

• Increased stress and burnout among staff.
• High turnover rates, with many new hires leaving before fully integrating into their roles.
• Inconsistent care delivery, impacting resident health and safety.

As a result, facilities struggle to maintain a stable, engaged workforce—an essential ingredient for high-quality care.

A Solution That Works: SSNH Program Overview

Through its SSNH program, Quality Insights partnered with 55 facilities in Pennsylvania and West Virginia to directly address staffing challenges. The program implemented several strategies, including webinars, on-demand courses, staff toolkits, and tailored technical assistance.

The program aimed to achieve the following outcomes:

• Improve staffing ability through:
   
  • Increased staff retention
  • Higher employee satisfaction
  • Enhanced clinical care processes
    
    
• Improve resident outcomes by:
   
  • Enhancing health through strengthening infection control practices
  • Boosting immunization rates
  • Reducing hospitalizations and Emergency Department (ED) visits
  • Lowering COVID-19 cases among staff and residents

The Power of Data: Capturing the Program's Impact

As noted in the podcast, data isn’t just about tracking numbers—it’s about driving meaningful change that improves both staff experiences and resident outcomes. The team utilized a mix of publicly reported metrics and participant-submitted data to paint a complete picture of the program’s impact.

While the white paper provides a detailed look at the program’s outcomes, here is a preview of its success related to the learning materials: Course-related outcomes revealed high levels of participant engagement and confidence in applying the program’s principles. According to post-program surveys, 100% of participants agreed that the information provided was relevant to their roles, and 90.9% felt confident in applying what they had learned.

Success Story Spotlight

One standout success came from Meadows Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Dallas, PA, a facility struggling with high turnover among new hires during their 90-day probationary period. While they initially breezed through the program, they had difficulty implementing a key data component—the Joy in Work. Joy in Work is a tool created by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) for healthcare organizations to identify barriers to workforce well-being, such as burnout and turnover, and develop strategies to overcome them.

Instead of bypassing this portion of the data collection, the facility’s leadership collaborated with Quality Insights to adapt the tool for their specific needs. They began using the assessment kit as a communication tool with new hires to identify challenges early and improve support during the onboarding and orientation process.

This creative adjustment demonstrated the flexibility of both the program and the facility, underscoring how small, meaningful changes can yield measurable improvements. To learn more about Meadows Nursing and Rehabilitation Center's journey and their experience with Joy in Work, tune in to their full episode of Taking Healthcare by Storm.

Ready to Learn More? What You’ll Learn from the White Paper

Our downloadable white paper linked above, "Building a Thriving Workforce: Achieving Stability and Enhanced Care," dives deep into:

• The SSNH program’s development, implementation, and outcomes.
• Success stories and lessons learned from participating facilities.
• Practical strategies for building a culture that attracts and retains staff.

For additional insights, listen to the full podcast episode featuring Amy Porter –  a dedicated advocate for improving the long-term care workforce and key contributor to the SSNH program. Visit our Nursing Home Insights blog for more expertise from industry expert, Dr. Jean Storm.