Each week we will highlight three trending news articles shared from the long-term care industry. From nursing homes to skilled nursing facilities, this weekly post will catch you up to speed on what's new.

Final vaccine mandate deadlines still in play, despite removal vote

The COVID-19 vaccine mandate for healthcare workers remains in place.

The Biden Administration is enforcing the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for healthcare workers, despite a vote by Senate Republicans to strike the regulation.

The mandate applies to roughly 10.4 million healthcare workers at 76,000 medical facilities, according to the Biden administration.

The deadline for states to comply with the vaccine rule is March 15.

Long-term care providers have said mandates make it harder for them to find and keep workers but have steadily encouraged employees to get vaccinated.

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How Nursing Homes Can Strategize to Fill Shifts Amid Overtime, Burnout and Agency Use Concerns

From the workforce crisis to mounting agency costs, skilled nursing operators are facing a lot of challenges these days. But the top personal challenge impacting caregivers and hourly employees? Burnout.

It's no secret that there are staffing shortages in skilled nursing facilities right now, but what you might not know is how much it's impacting your bottom line. In fact, almost every single respondent to OnShift's recent survey saw an increase in agency reliance over the previous year due to staffing shortages, and agency costs skyrocketed by 71% as a result.

And for most skilled nursing operators, overtime isn't sufficient as a sole means of filling schedules. That's why we're here—to help you fill those hard-to-fill positions faster than ever before.

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Long-term care facilities to receive expedited meds under National COVID-19 Preparedness Plan

The Biden administration announced Tuesday that hundreds of facilities will now be able to directly order COVID-19 antiviral drugs and receive direct distributions. These programs will start this month, the White House said.

The goal is to allow Americans free COVID-19 rapid tests and quick access treatments at one-stop retail pharmacy locations and in congregate settings such as long-term care facilities starting this month, he said.

Along with increasing the supply of COVID-19 tests, the administration has also sped up the development, manufacturing and procurement of COVID-19 treatments, “building a diverse medicine cabinet filled with more treatments now than at any point in the pandemic,” the White House said in an accompanying statement.

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