Supporters of legislation meant to address the staffing crisis in Rhode Island’s nursing homes were scheduled to rally at the state capitol this week, bearing shirts and signs with slogans such as “Safe Staffing Now.”
Members of Raise the Bar on Resident Care – described in a statement as a “coalition of Rhode Island families, nursing home workers, clergy members, and community allies” – planned to gather in the State House Rotunda at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 5. They were to be joined by Senate Majority Whip Maryellen Goodwin and Rep. Scott Slater, the sponsors of the legislation, as well as other lawmakers.
According to the statement, the proposal would set a minimum standard of 4.1 hours of resident care per day, which is the “federal recommendation for quality care and a figure long endorsed by experts including the American Nurses Association, the Coalition of Geriatric Nursing Organizations, and the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care.”
It would additionally “secure funding to raise wages to recruit and retain a stable, qualified workforce” and “invest in needed training and skills enhancement for caregivers to provide care for patients with increasing acuity and complex healthcare needs.”
“For months, the Raise the Bar coalition has been urging lawmakers to address the lack of safe staffing standards in Rhode Island nursing homes as Rhode Island is the only New England state with no minimum staffing requirements,” the statement reads.
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