Evaluating the staffing methodology model in the veterans health administration's community living centers

•Long-term care facilities are required by law to provide minimum RN and LPN staffing.•Many residents residing in long-term care have complex medical conditions.•Nurse staffing impacts resident outcomes, safety, and satisfaction.•Appropriate nurse staffing is a key factor in reducing resident adverse events. Program evaluation to describe nursing hours per patient day (NHPPD) within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and to evaluate Staffing Methodology in the VHA Community Living Centers (CLCs). Targeted and actual NHPPD were compiled retrospectively for each VHA CLC unit over a one-year timeframe for calendar year 2019. For descriptive analyses, actual NHPPD were averaged across months for each CLC unit. The mean for actual hours as a percent of target was 121.6% (95% CI, 118.5 to 124.7%) indicating the units’ average hours across 2019 were 21.6% significantly higher than target. The actual NHPPD significantly differed across months (p