Insights Episode 9: Staffing for Nursing Home Care: COVID-19 and Beyond

Staffing for Nursing Home Care: COVID-19 and Beyond Pat Armstrong, Charlene Harrington and Margaret McGregor

As we search for ways to deal with COVID-19 in nursing homes, and to prevent such tragedies in the future, it seems obvious that we need to begin with staffing. British Columbia began its efforts to control the spread of the virus in these homes; Ontario called in the military; and Quebec will attempt to hire and train 10,000 healthcare workers. Yet, there are those who still argue that there is insufficient evidence, linking staffing levels and quality of care, or on appropriate staffing levels to establish enforceable standards. We beg to differ.