PO Box 360
Trenton, NJ 08625-0360

For Release:
July 23, 2012

Mary E. O'Dowd, M.P.H.
Commissioner

For Further Information Contact:
Office of Communications
(609) 984-7160

Nursing Home Staffing Level Report to Improve Transparency, Empower Consumers

In the state's continuing effort to make health care more transparent for consumers, the Department of Health (DOH) today released the "Nursing Home Staffing Report" that provides patients, their families and the public information on direct care staffing levels provided to patients in nursing homes in New Jersey.

"Adequate levels of nursing care are drivers of patient health outcomes," said Mary E. O'Dowd, Commissioner DOH. "By making this information available, health care consumers will have additional information that they can use to determine which nursing home might be the most appropriate place for a family member or loved one."

All licensed nursing homes in New Jersey have been reporting their daily nurse staffing levels to the Department via a web-based system since January 2012. The report released today represents 2012 first quarter data.

The report may be viewed here: http://bit.ly/NPTDrb

The Nursing Home Staffing Level Report, which will be updated quarterly, shows staff-to-resident ratios for each of the following nurse categories: Registered Nurses (RNs), Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs), and Certified Nursing Assistants.

Consumers who wish to access the report simply need to visit the website and click on the nursing home they would like to review. The web-based system contains staff-to-resident ratios for each 8- or 12-hour hour shift-day or night. The report also provides the state average in each category.

Nursing homes often use a mix of RNs, LPNs and CNAs to provide daily health and other care needs to their residents. The report does not provide information on individual nursing home policies or whether a nursing home is located in a hospital, is a stand alone facility, or is part of a Continuing Care Retirement Community.

The Nursing Home Staffing Report is part of the Department's continuing effort to improve transparency in the health care facilities it regulates. In February, the Department expanded its ambulatory surgery center (ASC) website to allow the public to examine inspection reports for 260 licensed or certified ambulatory surgery centers in New Jersey. The (ASC) website is another tool consumers may use to make informed health care decisions.

The ambulatory surgery center website site is available for viewing here: www.nj.gov/health/healthfacilities/asc_info.shtml.

Last Reviewed: 7/24/2012