• Date Due: December 01, 2026
  • Author: Joint Commission on Health Care
  • Enabling Authority: Chapter 407 Enactment Clause 1. (Regular Session, 2026)
  • Description:
    Report on the findings and recommendations of the evaluation of the workforce in Virginia's nursing facilities, including (i) reviewing the findings of the Joint Commission on Health Care's (the Commission) 2021 report on "Workforce Challenges in Virginia's Nursing Homes" and assessing current nursing facility direct care hours per resident compared to the current Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services expected hours, (ii) examining direct care provided by registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and certified nurse aides in nursing facilities and whether this level of care meets the hour requirement set by the Department of Medical Assistance Services for use in the Virginia Medicaid Nursing Facility Value-Based Purchasing program of case mix-adjusted total nurse staffing hours. The Commission shall also review and develop recommendations on the efficacy of utilizing a measure of registered nurse coverage as an additional component of the minimum staffing requirement, in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, and shall examine (i) the potential care benefits of increased registered nurse coverage, (ii) the practical impact of such a measure on staffing availability and costs, (iii) methods for reporting and calculating a measure of registered nurse coverage; and (iv) any other relevant factors necessary to determine compliance with such a measure. Additionally, such review shall consider other aspects of the hours per patient per day component of the staffing standards established pursuant to this act, including use of an adjusted per patient per day staffing requirement and the potential inclusion of other direct care professionals in the per patient day calculation.