WASHINGTON (October 13, 2023) - A new study by researchers at the George Washington University finds that unionized nursing homes have lower staff turnover rates, which has implications for recently announced federal guidelines on mandatory staffing levels in U.S. nursing homes.
The research team combed through data from the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for the year 2021. They found that the presence of a union was associated with a decrease in nursing staff turnover rates that year. The study also indicated that this association was significantly greater in U.S. counties where most nursing homes were unionized.
Last month, CMS proposed new minimum staffing standards for U.S. nursing homes. The researchers say their study shows how unions may play an important role in helping nursing homes meet these proposed requirements.
Adequate staffing levels in nursing homes keep patients safe and prevent worker injuries, says Adam Dean, lead author of the study and associate professor of political science at GW.
According to Dean, not much is known about the relationship between unions and U.S. nursing home staff turnover and he says this is one of the first studies to explore that dynamic.
The research letter, “Labor Unions and Staff Turnover in US Nursing Homes,” was published in JAMA Network Open. If you would like to speak with Prof. Dean, please contact GW Media Relations Specialist Cate Douglass at [email protected].
-GW-