The bill targets the professionals on whom residents rely the most to meet their basic needs — from eating, bathing, dressing and administering medications.
Nursing homes would have to require one nursing assistant be on duty for every eight residents on the day shift, for every 10 on the late day shift, and one for every 16 residents on the overnight shift.
The Assembly Human Services Committee voted 4-2 to pass the bill (A4636) despite the objections of nursing home operators, who argued quotas would interfere with daily managerial decisions they make based on the specific medical and emotional needs of residents.
Industry officials said passing a law won't change the fact that assistants or "CNA's" are in short supply in New Jersey and nationally.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 1.4 million certified nursing assistants nationwide whose median salary was $25,000 last year, although some made as little as $18,790.
Generally, a nursing aide is required to have 75 hours of training.
Annual turnover in the field is among the highest in any industry - exceeding 100 percent in some years because the work is difficult and pay isn't competitive, according to a 2004 report by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The report said 1.2 million more nursing assistants would be needed to keep up for the demand for care as the baby boomer population ages.
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NJ Assembly Panel Acts to Create Staffing Quota
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