missed nurse news on CNN

MK2002 · Oct 26, 2002

I saw the story while watching CNN here at work. It concerned the recent study regarding how fewer nurses results in more patient deaths and the effort by California to limit the nurse-to-patient ratio to 1-to-5.

Stories like this are repeated over the weekend. Just start recording with your Tivo and then fast forward to the segment when you have time. The story was repeated at 12:08 PM and 3:08 PM CDT. Here is the related web story:

http://www.cnn.com/2002/HEALTH/10/23/nurse.staffing.ap/index.html

Also, don't miss the story about the kitten that was rescued by paramedics.

whipping girl in 07, RN · Oct 27, 2002

I'm glad to know that this study is getting a lot of attention. I just hope that it makes a difference, besides asking the Dept of Ed to fund more nursing scholarships so we can graduate more nurses (so they can quit too in a few years!)

joannep · Oct 27, 2002

As a RN working in Victoria, Australia, where nurse patient ratio's are mandated at 1-4, I absolutely believe that nurse-patient ratio's is the only way to go. This level of staffing gives you a good level of patient care and job satisfaction.

I am not quite sure why in this article the executive director of the American College of Surgeons (Dr. Thomas Russell) was even interviewed regarding this issue. His comment that legislating nurse staffing levels is not the only way and ...

"A more basic way is to look at the issues and say we have to make this a more appealing work environment so we can attract men and women into nursing,"

is what opponents of legislated staffing levels have said (even here in Australia when we were campaigning for nurse-patient ratio's) but do not offer any alternative, just retoric hot air.

As a nurse employed in the best health care industry in the world, who has worked in Victorian hospitals before nurse-patient ratio's were implemented, I can say their implementation has made a big difference to nurse retention, nurse job satisfaction and patient care.

NMAguiar · Oct 28, 2002

The story originated with Reuters news agency on Tuesday -- by Wednesday it seemed the whole world was relaying it.

Both the original, and many of the follow-up print and broadcast versions, can be viewed at NursePLUS.com by scrolling down to Tuesday's and Wednesday's stories.

Enjoy! It's a killer survey, although not surprising to anyone in health care.