• Journal of East-West Nursing Research
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.28-38
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• 2020

Purpose: The aim of this study was to provide information on the extent and variations of elderly residents' nursing care needs, and provision of nursing care across long term care facilities. Methods: A nationwide survey was conducted on nurse managers from 1,041 long term care facilities, by e-mail or fax, from August 16 to September 30 in 2017. A self-reported questionnaire consisting of 5 domains was used to collect data. Results: Facilities with more than 30 residents were more likely to need skilled nursing services and to obtain the nursing staff such as a registered nurse and a nurse's aide. Awareness and satisfaction of hospital-based home nursing care was high in all facilities. In addition, there are some differences in nurse managers' perceptions of the level of healthcare resources and required action by facility size. Nurse managers of senior congregate housings were more likely to have considerable difficulty in dealing with healthcare needs of residents and recognizing the healthcare resource shortage. A majority of nurse managers agreed on the need to employ a registered nurse. Conclusion: This study confirmed that it is essential to increase nurse staffing level and to reform the long term care insurance for enhancing the accessibility of healthcare services, especially for the residents in small long term care facilities. There is also a need to provide diverse education and training opportunities for nursing staff working in long term care facilities.