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Low staffing levels at nursing homes may lead to poor infection control
Monday, 09 May 2011 07:41

Low staffing levels at nursing homes may lead to poor infection controlMost assisted living facilities are comfortable environments in which seniors can get help with everyday tasks and live out their golden years in peace. However, this type of residence must be chosen with care. According to a study published in the American Journal of Infection Control, about 15 percent of nursing homes in the U.S. receive citations for their failure to address the spread of illness among residents.

A team of researchers from the University of Pittsburgh's Graduate School of Public Health analyzed Medicare and Medicaid certification data collected between 2000 and 2007. The records provided information on 16,000 nursing homes, which represented 96 percent of all such facilities in the country.

The authors found that assisted living residences that had low staffing levels were more likely to have received a citation for infection control deficiency.

"The issue of staffing is very prominent in our findings," the researchers wrote in their report. "With low staffing levels, these caregivers are likely to be hurried and may skimp on infection control measures, such as hand hygiene."

Nursing home infections result in as many as 400,000 deaths each year, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
 

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