ISRC Collects Data for Research on Nursing Home Social Services

The Iowa Social Science Research Center (ISRC) assisted in collecting data for a study investigating social service staffing ratios in Medicare or Medicaid-certified nursing facilities. The primary purpose of the study was to collect data describing the characteristics and functions of social services departments and the training needs of social services directors. Surveying a nationally representative sample of 837 facilities, the data revealed that current CMS regulations regarding social services staffing are failing nursing home residents because too few social services staff are being required to meet needs of residents. 

The study was presented by Mercedes Bern-Klug, professor and director of the School of Social Work, and co-authored by doctoral student Kara Carter and assistant professor Yi Wang of the School of Social Work.

The ISRC provides data collection, plus many other services for researchers on campus. Check out our website, or contact us at isrc-info@uiowa.edu.