In the US, nursing home residents and staff have been severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This study compares nursing homes in California with and without COVID-19 positive residents. They found that nursing homes with less than the recommended RN staffing levels, those with lower Medicare quality ratings, and those with a history of previous health deficiencies had a higher probability of having COVID-19 positive residents.

Establishing minimum staffing standards at the federal and state levels is critical to address the ongoing crisis in nursing homes and prevent this in the future.