Is Staffing the Biggest Challenge in Home Health?

On a chilly Monday morning, Maria, a seasoned home health nurse, reviewed her schedule. She had seven patients scattered across different neighborhoods, each with unique needs. By the time she finished her rounds, she’d spend more time on the road and completing documentation than at the bedside. Maria loves caring for patients in their homes—helping them regain independence—but lately, the stress has her wondering how long she can keep going.

Maria’s story is not unique. Staffing challenges like hers are echoed in agencies across the nation. In fact, surveys consistently cite staffing as the number one barrier to growth in home health, eclipsing even reimbursement pressure. Here’s why.

Why Staffing Tops the List of Challenges

• Severe Nurse Shortages: Projected shortage of 200k+ RNs by 2031; home health is hit hardest.
• High Turnover Rates: Some agencies see ~30% turnover—driving, safety, isolation, and documentation fatigue.
• Growing Patient Acuity: Earlier discharges push complex wound vacs, IV meds, multi-chronic care to the home.
• Regulatory & Documentation Burdens: OASIS/compliance can consume 25%+ of a nurse’s time.
• Geographic Gaps: Rural referrals wait because there are no nearby clinicians to staff cases.

The Ripple Effect of Shortages

• Limited growth: Agencies decline referrals.
• Quality strain: Higher caseloads depress outcomes and satisfaction.
• Vicious cycle: Burnout → turnover → more workload on those who remain.

“It’s like trying to put out a fire with an empty hose.”

How Agencies Are Turning the Tide

• Invest in the pipeline: School partnerships, mentorships, PRN pools.
• Recruiting partnerships: Specialized firms to fill high-demand roles quickly.
• Streamline workflows: Smarter EMRs/mobile docs can cut paperwork time per visit up to 40%.
• Flex & incentives: Bonuses, hybrid schedules, and clinician control over caseloads.

Conclusion

Maria’s story represents thousands of caregivers balancing passion with pressure. The solution isn’t just hiring more nurses—it’s building the infrastructure, technology, and culture that make the work sustainable. Staffing isn’t just a challenge—it’s the defining challenge. Agencies that tackle it head-on will be the ones that thrive.