| Home | Massachusetts nurses push for minimum staffing levels posted 6-27-97 Massachusetts legislators are considering a bill that would require hospitals to set minimum nurse staffing levels and safety limits on the number of patients assigned to nurses. The bill, proposed by the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA), would provide a formula for nurse staffing levels based on patient acuity, the functional level of nurses on the floor, and basic standards of nursing practice. It would also guarantee protection from retribution or termination for nurses who report inadequate care or patient safety concerns. The bill is part of a package of legislation, titled "Nursing’s Agenda for Quality Care," designed to guarantee safe nurse staffing levels and prevent the use of unlicensed personnel in healthcare institutions. The bill is a response to "the dramatic deterioration of quality care in the state of Massachusetts," said David Schildmeier, director of communications at the MNA. Schildmeier said that a few years ago nurses were assigned no more than seven patients at a time. Now seven is the minimum, and eight or nine is common. "We cannot provide safe care in this environment. It is not physically possible," he said. The Massachusetts Organization of Nurse Executives (MONE) opposes the bill, pointing to a danger in dictating fixed staffing ratios. The minimum staffing level often becomes the maximum, according to the MONE. "No one opposes sufficient staffing," said Linda Lutie, executive director of MONE. However, there is not enough convincing data to mandate minimum staffing levels statewide, she said. "It’s impossible to set globally minimum staffing levels, because patients in different locations have different needs. Minimum staffing levels in and of themselves are problematic," Lutie said. The American Nurses Association has proposed a similar staffing bill at the federal level. The bill, which is being reviewed by the House Commerce and the House Ways and Means committees, would require hospitals to make public specific information on nurse staffing levels, staff mix, and patient outcomes, and would protect whistleblowers. Related Sites
|
|