New Jersey has over 350 certified nursing homes that are capable of housing almost 53,000 residents. Currently those facilities are 86% full, which is about 45,000 residents. Unlike other states, only 29% of those nursing homes are for-profit. The rest are either non-profit or government owned. The Medicare 5 Star Quality rating for New Jersey nursing homes is 3.4, which ranks them 12th in the nation.
Long-term care facilities, also known as nursing homes, require many certifications and licenses in order to operate. One in particular is the Certificate of Need, N.J.A.C. 8:33. This certificate implements the rules and provisions of the Health Care Facilities Planning Act. In order for a facility to receive this, they must submit an application, and then it must be reviewed and processed by the New Jersey State Department of Health and Senior Services. The same goes for the Nursing Home Administrator (NHA) license. Anyone that seeks to own and operate a nursing home must have this license.
All nursing homes in New Jersey are inspected, licensed, and regulated by a number of agencies at the state and federal levels. This is to ensure that the facility is in accordance with all laws and regulations stated in the Certificate of Need. If any of these laws are violated, the facility will be cited and must submit a written plan of action within 10 business days detailing how and when the violation(s) will be corrected. If the violation is not corrected or if it is serious enough, the Department of Health can impose a fine, appoint a temporary manager, or even revoke the facility’s license. If a facility is unlicensed, then it can be closed down by the Department of Health.
As you would expect, all New Jersey nursing homes are to comply with all federal, state, and local laws. This means that each nursing home facility must follow a certain set of standards in order to remain certified. Failure to do so could cost them their business. The law is strict on these facilities because they know the abuse and neglect that takes place there.
Federal and state authorities do not want people thinking that running or owning a nursing home is just an easy paycheck. There are people’s lives at risk when conducting this sort of business; therefore, there are strict laws set in place in order to deter anyone who thinks this is an easy task. Federal and state law both require that nursing home facilities have the proper medical equipment and a licensed and certified staff required to use them. All facilities must also provide adequate food, water, and a safe, clean environment. If the Department of Health determines that operational or safety deficiencies exist, it may require that all admissions to the facility stop immediately. They can also simultaneously revoke their license and/or impose a fine on the facility in accordance with N.J.A.C. 8:43E-1.1.
Aside from just the facility being in accordance with the law, the employees must also be in accordance. They must have the proper certifications and training in order to work at a nursing home facility. Assisted living administrators have a lot of responsibilities. Those responsibilities include ensuring the development, implementation, and enforcement of all policies and procedures. They are to ensure that their staff is trained and educated in proper techniques and work ethics.
New Jersey seems to have a tight grasp on nursing home laws and regulations. They have strict guidelines for facilities to abide by and will take the appropriate action if those laws are broken. As long as facilities are constantly inspected, then New Jersey should have minimal issues when it comes to nursing home abuse and neglect.
Sources:
http://www.state.nj.us/health/healthfacilities/penalty/report.shtml
https://suburbanstats.org/population/how-many-people-live-in-new-jersey
http://www.nj.gov/health/healthfacilities/nhalb.shtml