D.C. Hospitals And Nurses Fight Over Staffing Ratios

Published

D.C. Hospitals And Nurses Fight Over Staffing Ratios - Kaiser Health

By David Schultz

Feb 22, 2013

Hospital administrators in Washington, D.C., are furiously lobbying against a bill modeled on a California law that would require them to maintain a minimum nurse-to-patient ratio at all times.

Nursing unions say the proposed Patient Protection Act codifies into law minimum staffing levels that are needed to maintain patient safety, while hospitals say the cost of hiring new nurses to comply with the law would put them out of business.

The ratios called for in the bill vary depending on the hospital department. In a pediatrics unit, the bill would require no less than a 1-to-4 nurse-to-patient ratio. In the operating room, hospitals would have to maintain a 1-to-1 ratio -- one nurse for every patient at all times.

Deidre Beckford, a nurse at MedStar Washington Hospital Center who has worked there for more than 20 years, says understaffing has forced her to take care of five to six patients at a time. ...

The nursing bill in D.C. would reduce some of this fluctuation. It's modeled after a nearly identical law that took effect in 2004 in California, the only state to require minimum staffing ratios in its hospitals. So far, it's unclear whether this requirement has had a positive or negative effect in California hospitals.

Studies have shown that the law has led to an increase in nurse hiring in California and a decrease in nurse turnover due to burnout. But researchers also found that the law put significant financial pressure on some hospitals. ...

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Specializes in Critical care, tele, Medical-Surgical.

The above is difficult to read.

This link should help -- D.C. Hospitals And Nurses Fight Over Staffing Ratios - Kaiser Health News

Another article:

Proposed legislation seeks to address inadequate nurse staffing at DC hospitals

Area nurses are calling it a critical patient care issue. They are concerned that there are not enough nurses for the number of patients being cared for at area hospitals.

The D.C. Council is expected to address the issue by holding public meetings as they consider The Patient Protection Act.

"Across the District, patient safety is regularly threatened because hospital corporations refuse to ensure that there are enough registered nurses working at the bedside," said Bonnie Linen Caroll, a registered nurse.

The legislation would call for a certain ratio when it comes to nurses and the number of patients currently in their unit. Also, the law would protect whistleblowers, and do away with mandatory overtime.

The District of Columbia Hospital Association would like to discuss this issue with area nurses, but does not believe this is an issue that should be addressed through local legislation.

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Specializes in Critical care, tele, Medical-Surgical.

Since the Safe Staffing law went into effect in 2004 California hospital profits and excess revenue increased.

HCA Posts Strong Profits at California Hospitals Amid Federal Scrutiny - California Healthline

California not-for-profit hospitals and systems included in the study had aggregate net income in 2010 of $4,491,430,472.

100 executives of non-profit hospitals have incomes over $1,000,000 in 2010

a new report released today.

Hospital Financial Performance - Office of Statewide Health ...

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Specializes in Critical care, tele, Medical-Surgical.

Bonnie Linen-Carroll, RN, an OR nurse at Washington Hospital Center, emphasized, "I have dedicated my life to providing nursing care to people who are at their most vulnerable," she said. Linen-Carroll set her sites on intransigent management. "The hospital corporations refuse to ensure that there are enough registered nurses working at the bedside."

[COLOR=#003366]Daily Kos: Nurses lead push for safer care in DC hospitals#

DCNursesAssociation_zpsa9614a0a.jpg

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Specializes in Critical care, tele, Medical-Surgical.

Lives have been saved by California safer staffing...

Nurse researchers, led by Linda Aiken, R.N., Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, compared the outcomes for nurses and quality of care in California and two states without legislation--Pennsylvania and New Jersey. They surveyed 22,336 nurses in all three states and examined patient outcomes, including 30-day inpatient mortality and failure to rescue across hospitals according to whether the nurses cared for fewer or more patients each.

Key Findings:

  • Nurse workloads in New Jersey and Pennsylvania on all types of units were above California-mandated staffing levels.
  • If they matched California nurse staffing ratios in medical and surgical units, New Jersey hospitals would have 13.9 percent fewer patient deaths and Pennsylvania 10.6 percent fewer deaths, saving 486 lives over two years.
  • With lower workloads, California nurses reported more job satisfaction, less burnout and better quality of care.

When hospital nurse staffing levels are raised, nurse satisfaction and patient outcomes both benefit--and lives are saved. ...

Implications of the California Nurse Staffing Mandate for Other States - Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

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Specializes in Dialysis.
Lives have been saved by California safer staffing...

Not to mention the sanity of more than a few nurses.

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Amen and then some to Chisca's comment. I can remember having 13 patients one shift before staffing ratios went into effect. Conversely, the patients admitted now are so sick that I'm every bit as busy as I was in those days - with only five patients!

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How can these hospital administrators possibly defend their positions without looking like the monsters they are?

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Geriatrics, Wound Care.

The hospital says that if they hire more nurses, they would not be able to hire the ancillary staff - nursing assistants and other general staff, so nurses would have fewer patients, but increased workload (or decreased assistance).

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Specializes in Critical care, tele, Medical-Surgical.
The hospital says that if they hire more nurses, they would not be able to hire the ancillary staff - nursing assistants and other general staff, so nurses would have fewer patients, but increased workload (or decreased assistance).
The hospital is owned by Med Star. Their net assets for 2008 were $235,090,744.00.

Washington Hospital Center Corporation in Washington, District of Columbia (DC) - faqs.org

2009 there was an article on area non profit CEO compensation:

Kenneth Samet, President, CEO and Director of Medstar Health, earned the second-highest salary with $2,647,227 in total compensation. Nearly half of his salary ($1,157,977) came in the form of a bonus.

http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/baltimore-area-hospital-ceos-get-paid-seven-figure-salaries-nonprofits/2010-08-30

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The hospital says that if they hire more nurses, they would not be able to hire the ancillary staff - nursing assistants and other general staff, so nurses would have fewer patients, but increased workload (or decreased assistance).

It WOULD be just like those money hungry execs to save money by finding a loophole like that wouldn't it? The loophole being much less nursing assistants. I can't imagine not having nursing assistants. I'm so grateful for them. I was one just last year, and I, just like the nurses, didn't have time to eat or pee.

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How can these hospital administrators possibly defend their positions without looking like the monsters they are?

I don't think it prevents them form looking like monsters but here is an article expressing some of their positions regarding this issue.

http://christuslaboractionsantafe.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Tevington-Pamela.pdf

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