New Mexico Nursing Home Staffing Requirements
February 13, 2025
Do New Mexico Nursing Homes Have Minimum Staffing Requirements?
New Mexico nursing homes require one direct care worker for every 15 or fewer residents 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If the number of residents is between 16 and 60, New Mexico law requires one direct care worker and one staff person. If there are 61-120 residents, there must be two direct care workers and one staff person. If the number of residents exceeds 120, three direct care workers and one staff person are required. Additionally, all New Mexico nursing homes must have one administrator to run daily operations. If the nursing home administers medication, they will need a licensed nurse on staff. Finally, a licensed nurse or physician extender will need to be available to review health evaluations and ISPs.
In The Article
Why Are Nursing Homes Short Staffed?
Since the 1980s, nursing home understaffing has been a major issue in the medical industry, and according to NurseJournal, “The COVID-19 pandemic worsened staffing issues in nursing homes.” Along with the pandemic issues that brought on higher staff shortages, caregivers are suffering from burnout.
Additionally, “During the pandemic, nursing home staff quit at higher rates than any other healthcare professional because they were unwilling or unable to work in unsafe conditions.”
Although nursing staff deserve a safe and stable work environment in nursing homes, staffing shortages can lead to severe consequences for patients who rely on the standard of care they pay for.
What Can Happen if Nursing Homes Are Understaffed?
When nursing homes are understaffed, some see a rise in harmful patient outcomes, including hospitalizations, falls, emergency room visits, bedsores, and death. Injuries like these can lead to psychological or emotional reactions from patients, including traumas like PTSD.
For those who have to make the difficult decision to place their loved one in a New Mexico nursing home, the understaffing issue can be scary as low staffing could lead to neglect and injury for the people you care about the most. While New Mexico has higher staffing standards than some other states, it can be difficult to know if your loved one is going to get the care they need when you decide to place them.
How to Find a Good Nursing Home in New Mexico
When it comes down to it, finding a nursing home that you can trust can give you more peace of mind. Some of the best ways you can find a nursing home that is right for your loved one is to first consider what your elderly loved one needs and wants. Different nursing homes have different types of staff, and looking into their processes and activities can give you a better idea of how your loved one will adjust to their new conditions.
Next, it’s important to “shop” around. Ask friends, family, and acquaintances who have experience with nursing homes. Call and schedule visits with facilities in your area and outside your area.
When you’re visiting, make sure you ask a lot of questions. Don’t be afraid to ask about staff turnover rates. Be prepared to hear a high number for turnover rates, as nursing homes throughout the country battle with these numbers quite often, but you can always ask why turnover rates are so high. Ask questions about the staffing rates. It’s not uncommon to for nursing homes to hear questions like “How many providers do you have per resident at any given time?” and “What kind of training do your providers have?” and “Is there a doctor who checks residents on a regular basis, if so, how often?”
As you look for the best nursing home for your loved one, be sure to do your research to find out the history of the nursing home. If you find that incidents happened at a specific nursing home, you can even ask questions about any staffing or management changes that were made since the incident occurred.
What to Do if You’ve Witnessed Nursing Home Abuse or Neglect in New Mexico
If you currently have a loved one in a nursing home, and you see signs of abuse or neglect due to staffing shortages in New Mexico, there are actionable steps that you can take to ensure your loved one and other residents are safe. Contacting the Health Facility Complaints Hotline at 1-800-752-8649 is the first step. To file a formal complaint against a nursing home, you can complete the Health Facility Consumer Complaint Form, then email it to [email protected].
There is also a Health Facility Reporting System available online.
Once your complaint is filed, you may find you need to contact a nursing home abuse lawyer in New Mexico. The team at Ron Bell Injury Lawyers has been trusted with nursing home abuse and neglect cases for over 40 years. We know that your loved ones are important to you, and their health and wellbeing are paramount. To ensure you get the recovery you deserve for injuries caused by nursing home abuse or neglect, Ring the Bell 898-BELL.