Numerous media outlets covered the findings of VHCA-VCAL’s staffing survey highlighting the sector’s workforce crisis, which is rooted in chronic Medicaid underfunding and compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey was covered by The Richmond Times Dispatch, WRIC-ABC 8 News, WAVY.com, WFXRtv.com, and News Channel 11 WJHL.com.

Check out the coverage:

Meager pay, benefits and low Medicaid reimbursement are driving staffing crisis in Virginia’s nursing homes (October 21, 2021, richmond.com)

For the Richmond Times Dispatch, reporter Sabrina Moreno writes:

The majority of the 199 long-term care facilities that responded [to a Virginia Health Care Association and the Virginia Center for Assisted Living survey] pointed toward a need for higher Medicaid reimbursements to offset mounting costs and noted how meager pay and poor benefits is a driver to being unable to recruit and retain staff. The vast majority of open jobs are for certified nursing assistants, who make about $29,000 a year in Virginia, according to federal data.

Three in four facilities had a shortage of staff across all shifts. Almost every facility had to ask staff to work overtime or take additional shifts, and two-thirds are still needing to turn toward more expensive agency staff to fill the holes.

The report goes on to explain:

“Now, almost 40% of nursing homes in Virginia are operating well below capacity because there aren’t enough people to take care of residents. At least 29% are holding off on new admissions. More than a quarter have turned away hospital patients.

“The survey demonstrates the severe workforce challenges facing Virginia’s long-term care providers. Too many facilities are struggling to hire and retain staff that are needed to serve tens of thousands of vulnerable residents,” said Keith Hare, president and CEO of VHCA. “If nursing care is important to Virginia and the seniors who need it, it is well past time for Virginia to invest in it.”

Hare emphasized in a statement that the state’s nursing homes are doing what they can, but to fix the problem, they need policymakers to act.

With a fifth of Virginia’s nursing homes failing to meet staffing standards, stakeholders split on solutions (October 22, 2021) WRIC-ABC 8 News, WAVY.com, WFXRtv.com, and News Channel 11 WJHL.com)

Reporting for WRIC, Jackie DeFusco also described the VHCA-VCAL survey results noting that,

“It found 81% of long-term care providers believe the situation has gotten worse in 2021 compared to 2020, which they consider “the height of the clinical nightmare.”

Nearly all respondents reported vacancies in critical positions, with 96% looking for CNA’s, 92% missing LPN’s and 75% trying to fill RN positions.

When asked about their current staffing situation, 59% indicated there were few to no applicants to fill their needs for additional staff. That’s the case despite widespread pay increases and bonuses.

“We want to hire staff. The truth is the workforce is just not there right now. We have seen people exiting healthcare. They’re not coming to work in our facilities, and this could not be a worse time quite frankly to consider a staffing mandate,” said Deborah L. Petrine, Chairman and CEO of Commonwealth Care of Roanoke.

The report adds,

The nursing home industry is also urging the General Assembly to increase Medicaid reimbursement rates. Multiple speakers said the current rate doesn’t cover the cost of care and makes it difficult for facilities to manage their finances, which has an adverse impact on staffing.