Skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) play a dual role, offering post-acute care services to short-stay patients and long-term care for permanent residents. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, staffing in SNFs has garnered significant national attention, with efforts underway to enhance the quality of patient care. While research indicates that staffing levels for non-nursing roles vary widely across SNFs and can impact care quality, much of the existing research has concentrated primarily on rehabilitation services.

This report explores the variability in staffing levels and contract staffing for non-nursing occupations (eg, respiratory therapy, pharmacy, social work) across US SNFs from January 2018 to June 2023 and identifies workforce gaps that may indicate potential inequities in access to care.