For skilled nursing facilities, this research provides evidence that mandatory vaccination policies do not drive the staff departures many operators feared.
“State-level vaccine mandates were associated with increased staff vaccination coverage without increases in reported staff shortages. Increases in vaccination coverage were largest when mandates had no test-out option, suggesting that strict mandates may be an effective policy tool to improve staff vaccination rates… These findings suggest that state mandates for booster doses for nursing home employees could be associated with improved vaccine coverage, even in areas with greater vaccine hesitancy.”
McGarry, Brian E., et al. “Association of State COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates With Staff Vaccination Coverage and Staffing Shortages in US Nursing Homes.” JAMA Health Forum, vol. 3, no. 7, 29 July 2022, doi:10.1001/jamahealthforum.2022.2363.
COVID-19 vaccination mandates don’t negatively affect nursing home staffing: study
“The researchers found no significant increases in reported staffing shortages in states with mandates, regardless of whether a test-out option existed… The findings show, however, that ‘state mandates for booster doses may be warranted to improve and sustain vaccination coverage in nursing homes,’ they concluded.”
— McKnight’s Senior Living, August 1, 2022
Research supports COVID-19 booster shot mandates for SNF workers
“We were surprised by the lack of an effect on the staff shortage rate. There were obviously concerns that the mandates could have had catastrophic effects on staffing levels, but we generally find reported staff shortages were stable, or even a little lower, following the mandate announcement. Generally, I think our results suggest that when push comes to shove, staff typically elect to get vaccinated rather than lose their job.” — Brian McGarry, PhD
— McKnight’s Long-Term Care News, August 1, 2022
“Initial fears of a mass exodus of nursing home workers after the vaccine was mandated was ‘largely unfounded,’ according to Brian McGarry, assistant professor and lead author of a study published in JAMA Health Forum on Friday… ‘Self-reported staff shortages are somewhat of a crude measure. It’s possible we are missing some departures,’ McGarry said, adding that researchers are working on studies right now that utilize staffing data from the Payroll Based Journal rather than relying on self-reported numbers.”
— Skilled Nursing News, July 29, 2022
