HCM 700 Module 5 Discussion Example

Reviewed by Delia Ravenscroft, MSN, RN

This HCM 700 Module 5 Discussion sample takes a position on a live policy question that bears directly on the capstone. It is written for SNHU HCM 700 (HCM-700), where MS Healthcare Administration students connect their organizational issue to health policy. The writer, a composite administrator in training at a 120-bed nonprofit nursing home, examines the federal minimum staffing rule finalized in 2024, which would have required 3.48 nursing hours per resident day and round-the-clock RN presence before it was blocked and then rescinded. Drawing on research on state minimums and arguments for higher standards, the post argues that minimums help but fail without Medicaid funding, and asks peers where they stand.

CourseHCM 700 Healthcare Administration Capstone
ModuleModule 5
Paper typeMS Healthcare Administration discussion post on nursing home staffing policy
LengthAbout 350 words, 3 pages
FormatAPA 7 student paper
SchoolSouthern New Hampshire University
ProgramMS Healthcare Administration
UpdatedSeptember 2026

Free sample paper for HCM 700 Module 5

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Module Five Discussion

A Floor Needs Something Under It

In 2024 the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services finalized the first federal minimum staffing standard for nursing homes. The rule, summarized by Harris (2024), required 3.48 total nursing hours per resident day, of which at least 2.45 had to come from aides and 0.55 from registered nurses, plus an RN physically present every hour of every day. A federal court blocked it in 2025, and Roush (2026) reported that federal health officials have since withdrawn it entirely. My facility's numbers made the debate personal: we staff 3.52 total hours, just above the line, but only 0.42 registered nurse hours and no overnight RN on two nights a week.

What this page is doingThe writer summarizes the rule, its fate and the facility's position.
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The case for minimums is real. Bowblis (2011) found that state minimum direct care staffing requirements raised staffing and that several quality measures improved, with the largest gains in homes forced to add staff to comply. Harrington et al. (2016) argued that the lack of meaningful federal standards left residents in low-staffed homes at risk and that recommended levels were far higher than typical staffing. Residents in the worst-staffed buildings have no market power to demand better.

But a floor without funding can collapse. Medicaid pays for 64% of our resident days at $248 a day, below our cost of about $286. Hiring the registered nurses needed to meet the rule would have cost roughly $310,000 a year, in a labor market where we already have 22 aide vacancies. Some facilities like ours would have met the rule by admitting fewer residents, which reduces access in rural areas. A mandate that ignores who pays risks punishing the facilities that serve the poorest residents.

What this page is doingArguments for and against are weighed with research and local numbers.
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My position is a qualified yes: a federal floor, phased in, tied to Medicaid rates that cover the cost of meeting it and paired with investment in training aides and nurses. Transparency about staffing and turnover should continue regardless. For my capstone, the rescission means Willow Creek must make its own case for better staffing. For classmates: should standards come first and force funding to follow, or should funding come first?

What this page is doingThe writer takes a qualified position and asks peers about sequencing.
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References

Bowblis, J. R. (2011). Staffing ratios and quality: An analysis of minimum direct care staffing requirements for nursing homes. Health Services Research, 46(5), 1495-1516. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-6773.2011.01274.x

Harrington, C., Schnelle, J. F., McGregor, M., & Simmons, S. F. (2016). The need for higher minimum staffing standards in U.S. nursing homes. Health Services Insights, 9, 13-19. https://doi.org/10.4137/HSI.S38994

Harris, E. (2024). CMS finalizes staffing minimum requirements for nursing homes. JAMA, 331(22), 1884. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2024.8427

Roush, K. (2026). HHS rescinds the nursing home minimum staffing rule. AJN, American Journal of Nursing, 126(4), 17. https://doi.org/10.1097/AJN.0000000000000283f

What the HCM 700 Module 5 instructions ask for

This HCM 700 policy discussion usually asks you to take and defend a position on a health policy issue connected to your capstone. Graduate posts of about 400 words are common, citing a handful of current sources, including at least one peer-reviewed study, in APA 7, followed by replies that engage opposing views. State the policy accurately, including its current status, present the strongest arguments on each side with evidence and explain how the policy would affect your organization. Take a clear position, even a qualified one, and invite classmates to challenge it. HCM 700 graders notice clean headings in HCM 700 papers. HCM 700 names and dates need checking before HCM 700 submission. HCM 700 prompts vary by term, so recheck HCM 700 directions.

How this HCM 700 Module 5 discussion example is built

An administrator in training summarizes the 2024 federal staffing rule through Harris's report, including its 3.48-hour total, its separate RN minimum and around-the-clock RN presence, then notes the court block and the rescission reported by Roush. The facility sits just above the total but below the RN requirement. Bowblis's state minimum study and Harrington and colleagues' argument support standards, while Medicaid rates below cost and vacancies show the risk. The post takes a qualified position favoring a funded, phased floor and asks classmates about sequencing. HCM 700 students can reuse this structure for HCM 700 work. HCM 700 claims here trace to cited HCM 700 sources. HCM 700 readers can adapt each section to HCM 700 data.

Where the HCM 700 Module 5 rubric puts the points

Policy discussions in HCM 700 are generally assessed on accuracy of the policy description, balance and evidence in presenting arguments, application to the organization, clarity of the position and the quality of peer exchange. Stronger entries report the policy's current legal status, quantify its local effect and acknowledge the best argument against their own position. Graders reward positions that propose conditions or design features rather than a simple yes or no, and questions that invite genuine debate. HCM 700 marks favor careful formatting across HCM 700 sections. HCM 700 citations keep every HCM 700 argument credible. HCM 700 instructors weigh evidence heavily in HCM 700 grading.

HCM 700 Module 5 help: the mistakes that cost points

Policy posts lose points when they describe a rule inaccurately or ignore its current status, present only one side, rely on opinion without evidence or never connect the policy to the writer's organization. Another frequent gap is taking no position at all. Describe precisely, weigh both sides with sources, quantify local effects and take a clear stance. Should your instructor assign another rule, for instance Medicaid rate reform or ownership disclosure, send it with your HCM 700 notes so the post addresses it. HCM 700 drafts start well from a HCM 700 outline. HCM 700 feedback already received guides HCM 700 revisions. HCM 700 rubrics posted in Brightspace clarify HCM 700 expectations.

Get HCM 700 Module 5 written to your instructions

Share the HCM 700 Module 5 prompt and the policy question you need to address. The post will describe the policy and its status accurately, weigh both sides with evidence, show its effect on your organization and take a clear position, within 24 to 48 hours, free the first time. The paper above is an original model document written by our desk, not a submitted student paper and not an official Southern New Hampshire University document.

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HCM 700 Module 5 questions, answered

Where can I find a free HCM 700 Module 5 Discussion sample?

You can read the full HCM 700 Module 5 post here, weighing federal nursing home staffing minimums and taking a funded-floor position.

What did the 2024 federal nursing home staffing rule require?

3.48 total nursing hours per resident day, with minimums of 2.45 aide hours and 0.55 RN hours inside that total, and a registered nurse present around the clock.

Is the federal nursing home staffing rule in effect?

No. A federal court blocked it in 2025, and the Department of Health and Human Services later rescinded it.

Do state staffing minimums improve quality?

Bowblis found state minimums raised staffing and were associated with better results on some quality measures.

Why do some nursing homes oppose staffing mandates?

Many rely on Medicaid rates below cost and face labor shortages, so unfunded mandates can force admission limits.