ORCID

0000-0001-9853-2715 (Richardson)

College

Strome College of Business

Department

School of Public Service

Program

Public Administration & Policy

Publication Date

4-2021

DOI

10.25883/1znz-by41

Abstract

The communal nature of long-term care facilities (LTCFs), and the population served which includes older adults often with underlying medical conditions, put those living in LTCFs at increased risk of infection and severe illness from COVID-19. The COVID-19 pandemic has further illuminated gaps in LTCFs disaster preparedness as they have lacked the resources necessary to contain the outbreak, including tests and personal protective equipment, and underpaid and undertrained staff. The purpose of this research is to examine resident safety in nursing homes within the Hampton Roads region during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study seeks to examine the association between nursing home staffing ratings, resident care ratings, facility size, and federal fine amounts to the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases and COVID-19 deaths in regulated nursing homes within the Hampton Roads region. The population in this quantitative study includes CMS regulated nursing homes in Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk and Virginia Beach, Virginia. The study found that facility size was significantly predictive of nursing home COVID-19 cases. Additionally, both nursing facility size and staffing rating were significantly predictive of nursing home COVID-19 deaths. Findings from this study support additional research to identify specific challenges faced by medium to large facilities (115-222 certified beds) and facilities with below average and well below average staffing ratings when trying to ensure resident safety during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Keywords

Nursing homes, Emergency preparedness, Resident safety

Disciplines

Emergency and Disaster Management | Public Administration | Public Policy

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Resident Safety During Disasters: Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic in Hampton Roads Area Nursing Homes


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