title: Comparing the nurse staffing in Korean and U.S. nursing homes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The quality of nursing home care has been problematic in both the United States and South Korea; quality is limited to inadequate nurse staffing levels. This article addresses how South Korean nursing home education and training requirements, nurse staffing standards, and actual nurse staffing levels compare with those in the United States.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study used secondary documents and data to compare the two countries.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Korea has lower registered nurse and certified nursing assistant standards and actual staffing levels than the United States. In contrast, staffing standards and actual staffing levels for care workers who provide direct care to residents are higher in Korea than in the United States.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Research is needed in Korea to establish an empirical basis for educational requirements, staffing standards, and staffing levels in nursing homes.
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing, Eulji University, Jung-gu, Daejeon, South Korea.
authors.forename: Hyang Yuol
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Division of Nursing Science, College of Health Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, South Korea. Electronic address: juhshin@ewha.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Juh Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA.
authors.forename: Charlene
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Harrington
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards; D004506:Education, Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000592:standards; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000193:education* / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling / Q000458:organization & administration*; D056910:Republic of Korea; D014481:United States; D000078329:Workforce
keywords: Korea; Nursing home; Quality; Staffing standard; United States