Antipsychotic Overuse Tied to Lower Staffing Levels

According to an analysis performed by the Boston Globe, nursing homes with lower staffing levels are more likely to overuse antipsychotic drugs. These homes, which represent a quarter of all U.S. facilities, tend to have fewer registered nurses and CNAs.

The study's authors looked at the percentage of LTC residents who were receiving antipsychotic drugs even though they didn't have psychosis or a related condition.

The good news is that antipsychotic overuse in long-term care as a whole has decreased dramatically over the past five years, from 237,510 residents in 2005 to 185,370 in 2010.

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