MICHIGAN: Safe Patient Care

Published

for michigan nurses:

click on the link at the right: action alert...contact your legislator

ready made letter. easy to do and send.

http://www.minurses.org/spc/indexnew.shtml

"prohibiting mandatory overtime and establishing nurse-to-patient ratios will begin the steps to a healthy work environment, in which nurses will want to stay at the bedside and perform the most critical component to healthcare: nursing!"

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I sure hope you Michigan Nurses are doing this :mad:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.

I'm not sure what is happening with the legislation. I haven't heard anything for a few months. I know in my former facility's nursing newsletter, one of the supervisors made a big to-do about it, saying that it was bad for business. That's all that facility cares about..any michigan nurse would know what hospital this is because all you hear on the radio is "do you have (insert hospital) doctor?"....I'm so glad I quit that place. Five years of my time was too long and they did not appreciate the nurses there. They made all the staff go to this huge mandatory meeting about making the doctor's happy so they will bring their patients to the hospital. Many of the docs there were very rude and made you afraid to call them during the night if your patient needed something. So glad I went to a different health system.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.

sorry for my rant. Having a moment.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I'm not sure what is happening with the legislation. I haven't heard anything for a few months. I know in my former facility's nursing newsletter, one of the supervisors made a big to-do about it, saying that it was bad for business. That's all that facility cares about..any michigan nurse would know what hospital this is because all you hear on the radio is "do you have (insert hospital) doctor?"....I'm so glad I quit that place. Five years of my time was too long and they did not appreciate the nurses there. They made all the staff go to this huge mandatory meeting about making the doctor's happy so they will bring their patients to the hospital. Many of the docs there were very rude and made you afraid to call them during the night if your patient needed something. So glad I went to a different health system.

Bad for business! We know what is bad for business.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surg/Tele, Hem/Onc, BMT.

Oh No! The industry legislation is in Michighan too! This is NOT a ratio bill! I repeat THIS IS NOT A RATIO BILL.

This staffing plan legislation is a collusion between the state hospital associations and the ANA state affiliates. It has been passed in other states and has changed nothing. This is how the bill ios designed- It is made to seem as though it is a "step in the right direction" and "gives nurses a seat at the table" but in reality it simply codifies the status quo.

I am not sure if Michighan includes fiscal analysis with their bill- if they do READ IT. I am willing to bet there is not one dollar set aside for increased nurse staffing.

There are so many things wrong with it I could write for an hour.

Please, if you believe you need RATIOs (and you do!) go to www.calnurses.org/nnoc

This is organization and Massachusetts Nurses are the ONLY organizations introducing ratio bills.

Read this and you will see the difference:

http://www.calnurses.org/assets/pdf/ratios/ratios_booklet.pdf

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Oh No! The industry legislation is in Michighan too! This is NOT a ratio bill! I repeat THIS IS NOT A RATIO BILL.

This staffing plan legislation is a collusion between the state hospital associations and the ANA state affiliates. It has been passed in other states and has changed nothing. This is how the bill ios designed- It is made to seem as though it is a "step in the right direction" and "gives nurses a seat at the table" but in reality it simply codifies the status quo.

I am not sure if Michighan includes fiscal analysis with their bill- if they do READ IT. I am willing to bet there is not one dollar set aside for increased nurse staffing.

There are so many things wrong with it I could write for an hour.

Please, if you believe you need RATIOs (and you do!) go to www.calnurses.org/nnoc

This is organization and Massachusetts Nurses are the ONLY organizations introducing ratio bills.

Read this and you will see the difference:

http://www.calnurses.org/assets/pdf/ratios/ratios_booklet.pdf

I have heard this. I would like to find something that addresses staffing issues rather than this ANA.

Another site was deleted from the forum here.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surg/Tele, Hem/Onc, BMT.

These bills make me so sad. It just goes to show how far the hospital association will go to prevent safe staffing initiatives. Use this as an opportunity to educate about the REAL needs of patients.

No plan can ever substitute the need of RN's at the bedside. It is a shame that hospitals will never put safety ahead of $$

Up Vote Up Vote ×

That's why we need our own petition. I know where one is.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

The Michigan bill does have ratios:

http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2007-2008/billintroduced/House/htm/2007-HIB-4339.htm

Within 3 years after the effective date of the amendatory act that added this section, a hospital's staffing plan shall incorporate, at a minimum, the following direct care registered professional nurse-to-patient ratios for each of the corresponding units:

(a) Critical care - adult or pediatric: 1 to 1.

(b) Operating room: 1 to 1.

© Labor and delivery:

(i) During second and third stages of labor: 1 to 1.

(ii) During first stage of labor: 1 to 2.

(iii) Intermediate care newborn nursery: 1 to 3.

(iv) Noncritical antepartum patients: 1 to 4.

(v) Postpartum mother baby couplet: 1 to 3.

(vi) Postpartum or well-baby care: 1 to 6.

(d) Postanesthesia care unit: 1 to 2.

(e) Emergency department:

(i) Nontrauma or noncritical care: 1 to 3.

(ii) Trauma or critical care patient: 1 to 1.

(iii) One r.n. for triage.

(f) Stepdown: 1 to 3.

(g) Telemetry: 1 to 3.

(h) Medical/surgical: 1 to 4.

(i) Pediatrics: 1 to 4.

(j) Behavioral health: 1 to 4.

(k) Rehabilitation care: 1 to 5.

(5) Except as otherwise provided under this subsection, in computing the registered professional nurse-to-patient ratio required under subsection (4), the hospital shall not include a registered professional nurse who is not assigned to provide direct patient care in that unit or who is not oriented, qualified, and competent to provide safe patient care in that unit.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surg/Tele, Hem/Onc, BMT.

I stand corrected. I read a summary but did not see year three ratio implementation!!!

I am soooo sorry! Michigan nurses you better sign that letter!!!

I was unaware that the MNA was so progressive. It seems that nearly every ANA affiliate is going with the industry legislation. I would love to know more about how this bill got it's legs.

So now I will proudly say that Mass nurses, Michigan nurses AND NNOC are the only organizations introducing mandatory ratios- does this bill have a fine for violators? Whistleblower protection for nurses enforcable by fine?

Inquiring minds want to know. Again. Very sorry.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

The list is actually longer than that- add the Minnesota Nurses Asscociation and the New York State Nurses Association. There are others as well.

The UAN is also supporting national staffing ratio legislation- H.R. 2123

Three of the four states that left the UAN in December went for the hospital industry sponsored type of legislation (Ohio, Oregon, and Washington). Washington's was just signed into law.

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/billdocs/2007-08/Pdf/Bills/House%20Passed%20Legislature/3123-S2.PL.pdf

Having these industry sponsored bills get passed makes the really progressive work even more challenging.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment