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AHCA Releases National Workforce Study |
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AHCA
Releases National Workforce Study
AHCA
has released an extensive new analysis
of America’s nursing facility workforce, finding that nearly 110,000 full-time equivalent
(FTE) health care personnel are needed to fill vacant nursing positions.
Approximately 19,400 registered nurse and 24,200 licensed practical nurse (LPN)
positions were estimated to be vacant, but the majority of direct care staffing
vacancies – nearly 60,300 positions – were for Certified Nurse Assistants
(CNAs). The study examined employment vacancy and turnover in nursing
facilities nationwide, and indicated that a significant national effort must be
mounted to strengthen and stabilize a direct care workforce already battered by
chronic Medicaid underfunding, and further threatened by state budget cuts due
to the current economic downturn. The nearly 110,000 direct care staff
positions vacant in 2007 included 1 in 6 registered nurse positions, 1 in 9
licensed practical nurse positions, and 1 in 10 certified nurse assistant
positions. Moreover, nursing facilities, which are seeking to hire staff to
fill these positions, are finding that qualified candidates are not available.
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