Hospitals band together to fight MA nursing bill
Patient Safety Monitor Alert
May 18, 2005
Several Western Massachusetts hospitals are coordinating efforts to sink a state bill establishing mandatory staffing levels for nurses, according to The Republican of Springfield, MA.The hospitals say the bill is irresponsible because the nursing shortage makes the target staffing levels impossible. With the heavy fines imposed in the bill's language, hospitals would be forced to hemorrhage money or turn away patients in need.
Proponents of the bill say the organized effort by hospitals show they have the money needed to hire more nurses and properly staff units. They point to studies showing that medical errors significantly increase for nurses who treat more than four patients at a time.
Both sides accuse the other of ignoring the needs of patients.
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