Consumer Federation of California

This bill increased staffing in Skilled Nursing Facilities (nursing homes) to more adequate levels recommended by a broad coalition of consumer and health groups. At the time, staffing was inadequate to provide quality patient care. Moreover, the requirement of 3.2 hours of nursing care per patient  was not easily enforced by the Department of Health Services licensing staff or family members, and requires an auditor to determine if a facility is  in compliance.

California’s nursing homes ranked 47th in the nation in terms of quality of care and fail to substantially comply with federal quality of care requirements.  The staffing ratios enacted by this bill increased staffing levels by a third. This bill converted the current requirement for 3.2 nursing hours per patient in a skilled nursing facility (SNF) to specified minimum staff-to-patient ratios.