The pandemic has been tough on everyone.

But health care workers, like those in nursing homes, have had it particularly rough. Evidence of that can be seen in the number of care givers who left their jobs.

Nationwide, the turnover rate among nurses in nursing homes was about 50 percent in 2021, according to medicare.gov.

The site rates nursing homes on health inspections, quality measures, and staffing.

In Warren County, Kinzua Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center (five stars in health inspections and quality measures, two stars in staffing) and the Rouse Warren County Home (five for health inspections and three for both staffing and quality measures) each received five out of five stars for their overall ratings.

Warren Manor received a three-star rating (three stars for health inspections, three for staffing, and two for quality measures).

The staffing portion of the metric includes turnover rates.

According to medicare.gov, “Staff turnover is the percent of nursing staff or number of administrators that stop working in a facility within a given year. Low turnover indicates that facilities generally retain their staff for longer periods of time. Lower turnover is preferred because staff who work in facilities for longer periods of time may become more familiar with the residents and the facility’s operating procedures.”

Warren County’s numbers, even the numbers within individual facilities, were a mixed bag.

According to statistics from medicare.gov, Kinzua Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center had only a 16.7 percent turnover among its registered nurses, but its overall turnover rate was 44 percent.

Statewide, the average staff turnover was 48.4 percent and among registered nurses, it was 45.2 percent.

Nationally, there was a total turnover rate of 49.8 and 51.6 among registered nurses.

“The safety of our residents, patients, and caregivers remains our top priority,” a Guardian Healthcare spokesperson said. “We continue to follow all CDC, CMS, and DOH guidance for health care facilities.”

“We are very proud of our caregivers at Kinzua Healthcare & Rehabilitation as they continue to provide quality care for residents and patients every day,” the spokesperson said. “Their hard work and dedication is truly reflective of healthcare heroes.”

At Warren Manor, the total turnover rate was 50.9 percent and the rate for registered nurses was right around the national average at 52.6.

Medicare.gov also tracks turnover among nursing home adminstrators — one at Kinzua and none at Warren Manor.

Statistics were not available for the Rouse Warren County Home.

According to medicare.gov, “this facility did not submit staffing data, or submitted data that did not meet the criteria required.”

“The Rouse Home continues to make staffing levels a priority,” Rouse Home Administrator Zach Hammersley said. “We submit all required data to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and we currently have an overall 5 out 5 Star Facility Rating.”

The government had plenty of other data to presenting for all of the nursing homes.

Medicare.gov compared the number of hours nurses and other professions are available in nursing homes with the average number of residents.

At Kinzua, there were 82.1 residents per day, 95.1 at Warren Manor, and 109.1 at the Rouse.

The medicare.gov data shows the “total number of nurse staff hours per resident per day” — 3 hours 46 minutes for the nation and 3 hours 40 minutes for the state – then breaks those numbers down by credentials. In all of the nursing hours comparisons, higher numbers are better.

The Rouse is high in total nurse hours with 4 hours and 20 minutes; Warren Manor — with 3 hours and 37 minutes — is right around the averages; and Kinzua is slightly below at 3 hours 19 minutes.

Nursing homes in Pennsylvania have an average of 50 minutes of registered nurse time per resident day. For the nation, that number is 42 minutes.

At Warren Manor, with 42 minutes, the number is right on the national average, but low in the state.

The Rouse is low compared to the state, but very close to the national average at 41 minutes.

Kinzua is below both averages at 34 minutes.

The national average for licensed practical nurses (LPN) and licensed vocational nurses (LVN) is 53 minutes. The state shows 52 minutes per day.

The Rouse is well above those numbers with 1 hour and 17 minutes per resident per day.

Kinzua is just above both with 54 minutes.

Warren Manor is well below the averages at 38 minutes.

The averages for nurse aide hours per resident day are 2 hours 11 minutes for the nation and 1 hour 58 minutes for the state.

The Rouse (2 hours and 22 minutes) and Warren Manor (2 hours and 16 minutes) are above both figures, while Kinzua is below at 1 hour and 51 minutes.

Physical therapists averages are 4 minutes per resident day at the national level and 5 for the state.

Kinzua is well above the averages with 7 minutes per resident per day.

Warren Manor’s rate is 5 minutes per day.

The Rouse has 3 minutes per day.

Medicare.gov also provides the number of nurse staff hours on weekends — 3 hours 16 minutes nationally and 3 hours 14 minutes in Pennsylvania.

The Rouse is right around those numbers with 3 hours and 10 minutes, Warren Manor is slightly lower at 3 hours and 1 minute, and Kinzua a little below that at 2 hours and 57 minutes.

Further information, including details of inspection results and quality measures can be found by visiting www.medicare.gov/care-compare/.