I can’t think of any part of our lives that Donald Trump hasn’t screwed up or screwed with. One of his many wholly unqualified picks is Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who lacks a scientific or medical background and has a history of promoting anti-vaccine and public health conspiracy theories. So it comes as no surprise that he has bungled his job at every step, including with nursing homes.
The Hill reports:
Beginning Feb. 2, 2026, the federal requirement that nursing homes maintain a registered nurse on-site around the clock will no longer exist. It was a straightforward, common-sense rule created under the Biden administration. A 24/7 nurse presence meant residents were less likely to be left in medical limbo while an overworked or undertrained staff member tried to decide whether something was “urgent.” It meant quicker intervention for strokes, sepsis, respiratory failure and the countless complications that define elder care. It meant accountability in facilities where staffing has been a chronic problem for decades.
As of Dec. 2, 2025, that requirement has been repealed by President Trump and the Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. They argue that deregulation will “free” the industry. What it will actually free is more time with no medical professional present. The people who will pay that price are the residents who cannot care for themselves.
Let’s be clear about what this change really means inside a facility. Many nursing homes already operate with dangerously low staffing levels. Certified nursing assistants often manage far more residents than they safely can. Licensed practical nurses juggle medication rounds and assessments with little support. RNs are the only ones with the training to identify subtle but serious declines. When no RN is on-site, those signs are missed. Missed signs lead to missed diagnoses. Missed diagnoses lead to preventable deaths.
We do not have to speculate. Decades of peer-reviewed research have shown what happens when RN staffing decreases. Higher rates of infections. More falls. More pressure ulcers. More emergency transfers. Higher mortality. These aren’t political talking points — these are real people. They are our parents and our grandparents and they are suffering real injuries. I can’t emphasize this enough.
It’s unclear how long it will take for Trump followers to wake up to what is happening. It looks like Biden created the rule, so Trump then repealed it without regard for the harm it would cause to nursing home residents and their families. Oh, and you know what else is going to go nuts in 2026? Health insurance premiums for millions of Americans.
