Certified Nurse Aides and Scope of Practice: Clinical Outcomes and Patient Safety

To understand the impact of scope of practice and allowable certified nurse aide (CNA) tasks across states, the current study compared clinical outcomes in states with a basic scope of practice versus those that allowed for an expanded scope. The current study used data from the Minimum Data Set as well as staffing data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Clinical outcomes included: (a) percent of residents whose need for help with daily activities has increased, (b) percent of high-risk residents with pressure ulcers, (c) percent of residents who self-report moderate to severe pain, (d) percent of residents experiencing one or more falls with major injury, and (e) CNA staffing hours. There was no difference in clinical outcomes between states with expanded or basic scopes. Many factors influence clinical outcomes among residents and additional staffing and facility characteristics should be considered in future studies.