Federal Bill Aims to Aid Nursing Home Labor Shortage with TNA Program Extension 

A bill that aims to address staffing shortages in nursing homes by allowing temporary nursing aides (TNAs) awaiting certification to remain in the workforce past typical time limits was reintroduced on Wednesday.

Sponsored by Republican U.S. Rep. Brett Guthrie of Kentucky and Democratic Rep. Madeleine Dean of Pennsylvania, the bill supports flexibilities implemented during the Public Health Emergency, including a waiver to allow TNAs to continue working without certification beyond the limit of four months.

TNAs would also be able to put this on-the-job experience and training toward the federal government’s 75-hour training requirement to become a certified nursing assistant (CNA). The reintroduced bill seeks to extend this policy to TNAs for 24 months following the PHE, a provision that will make the path to becoming a CNA much smoother.

Advertisement

Called Building America’s Health Care Workforce Act, the bill was first introduced last year in May.

Last year, CMS ended the Covid-era blanket waiver granting additional TNA flexibilities to skilled nursing and long-term care providers. This led to an industry outcry, given ongoing staffing shortages facing facilities. Currently, states, counties and individual nursing facilities can apply for modified waivers that would expire at the end of the PHE.

Workforce shortages threaten to displace quality care in nursing homes, Rep. Guthrie noted in a press release.

Advertisement

“This legislation not only helps strengthen the nursing workforce to ensure seniors have access to safe and quality care, but this also provides an opportunity for workers to further their careers and earn higher wages,” he stated.

Rep. Dean said in the release, “We saw how essential these workers were during the pandemic, and the reintroduction of our bipartisan legislation will ensure that our seniors have the best possible care.”

Advocacy groups for skilled nursing providers applauded the bill, saying that it will blunt the impact from the labor crunch currently facing the sector, while also recognizing the “heroic” efforts of TNAs.

“Long term care providers nationwide are struggling to fill vacant roles, and staffing shortages are forcing many facilities to limit admissions or close their doors completely. This legislation will prevent further devastating job losses,” Holly Harmon, senior vice president of quality, regulatory and clinical services for the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL), said in an emailed statement to Skilled Nursing News. “With many states unable to meet current training and testing demands, this legislation will help temporary aides transition to permanent caregivers while continuing to serve their residents, supporting seniors’ continuity of care.”

Another aging services group, LeadingAge, echoed similar sentiments.

“The reality is that providers are looking for workers that currently don’t exist, and the pipeline is shrinking daily,” a spokesperson told SNN. “We support this bill and hope that members of Congress will as well. This is one of many initiatives that are needed to address shortages and also build a workforce pipeline for the future.”