Nursing facilities are expected to see a 10% increase in new openings in the next year as more companies are looking to hire nurses and nursing aides, according to the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
But nursing workers have been under pressure in recent years, as states have cut back on nursing hours and nursing homes have faced closures.
The Bureau of Labour Statistics says the nursing industry will grow by about 2.6 million jobs by 2024, an increase of nearly 2.7% from a year earlier.
But there is a shortage of nursing assistants and nursing assistants in nursing homes, according and a growing number of workers who say they cannot find enough hours to support their families.
And the workforce of nurses, aides and home health aides is shrinking.
Read moreOn average, nursing homes employ more than 70 people, compared with the average of 50,000 nurses, home health aide and care aides in nursing jobs.
The nursing industry is experiencing a shortage as employers cut back and nursing facilities have been forced to turn to more costly home health care to help balance budgets.
But workers say they are not being paid enough and are forced to work long hours, including on nights and weekends.
“It’s been tough on our families, especially when we have to sleep in a nursing home,” said Kimberly O. Smith, a nursing assistant and care aide who works at a nursing facility in Virginia.
The shortage of workers, which has been on the rise, has led to more nursing homes closing and increased costs for nursing homes.
The average cost of nursing home care has gone up about 9% in the last three years, according a report by the National Association of State Health Officials.
That report found that the average cost for nursing home health and wellness services rose to $2,819 for a four-bed unit.
Costs of home care have been rising since 2007, when nursing home occupancy rates peaked, according the report.
While the nursing shortage is affecting nursing homes across the country, it is especially acute in California.
The state’s largest nursing home operator, California Nursing Homes Association, said in a statement that the shortage has led the agency to make changes to its care, including allowing workers to stay on the premises longer.
California’s largest health care system, Kaiser Permanente, said it has “seen the impact of increased nursing home utilization and decreased staffing” on patient care.
