Nurses Arena Forum

"According to Warren nursing homes are losing nurses to better paying jobs in hospitals – and in some cases, fast food restaurants."

Texas nursing homes are are having a hard time hiring and keeping nurses.

A new study from a group representing nursing homes says that problem is set to become even worse as the population ages in the coming years.

According to the report, the turnover rate for nurses working in nursing homes is more than 90 percent. A lot of this has to do with how little nurses are being paid.

Kevin Warren is the president and CEO of the Texas Health Care Association – a lobbying group for nursing homes in the state. He says most nursing homes get a lot of the care they provide reimbursed by Medicaid – and the state has set that reimbursement rate far too low. Warren says that means most nurses can’t afford to stay in those jobs. And he says that hurts the quality of care people receive in those homes.

“I can tell you that from personal experience that the level of comfort a family gets from seeing that same staff caring for mom or dad – it’s immeasurable,” Warren said.

According to Warren nursing homes are losing nurses to better paying jobs in hospitals – and in some cases, fast food restaurants.

Source : Houston Public Media