Low education level of nursing home staff in Chinese nursing homes

摘要

Nursing home older adults have high hospitalization rates. Nursing home staff are the key care providers to nursing home residents. The staffing ratio, nursing staffing level, and ownership of nursing homes were reported to be associated with the hospitalization rates of residents. In Hong Kong, there are approximately 600 nursing homes taking care of 50,000 older adults, and nursing homes are broadly divided into for-profit (privately owned) and nonprofit (charitable unit-owned) homes. In each nursing home, the hierarchy of staff can be categorized as manager, health care assistants, health care workers, and nurses. The minimal staffing requirement for each nursing home is broadly equivalent to 2 hours per resident day.7 Specifically, each home must have 1 nurse or health care worker for every 60 residents. Health care workers are required to complete a certificate course of elderly care approved by the Social Welfare Department.