One Strike for Massachusetts!

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

An agreement was reached today on a landmark measure that will codify in state law safe patient limits for registered nurses who work in the all the state's hospital intensive care units, ensuring that no nurse can be assigned more than one patient or in certain circumstances, no more than two patients based on the assessment of the nurses on that unit.

The Massachusetts House passed a bill Wednesday night establishing statewide limits on the number of patients assigned to nurses in hospital intensive care units,
Mass. House approves cap on nurse workload

The measure was passed in the house tonight and is expected to move next to the Senate.

What do you think about mandated staffing levels?

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Specializes in LTC.

Are you kidding? If the facilities won't do the morally right thing for both patients and workers then they MUST be mandated. All of this rolling the dice with patient care must stop. Of course there are always ways to work around mandated staffing levels but at least it's a start.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

Many ICU's across the US are increasing the number of patient that ICU nurses care for...it's disturbing. The MNA has struck a deal to drop legislation forcing hospitals full disclosure on CEO's benefits called Hospital Profit Transparency and Fairness Act (HPTFA). As well as a general staffing mandatory ratio...but it is a start.

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This is great news for them! Lets hope that this trend is able to continue and spread throughout the USA. We NEED mandated ratios for the safety of our patients and the nurses that care for them. If healthcare facilities won't do the right thing and use common sense with staffing laws must be passed. They bring regulation (and all of that red tape) on themselves sometimes.

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Specializes in Critical care, tele, Medical-Surgical.

I am not happy with this. I think the people would have voted for the ballot measures to mandate safe staffing ratios for ALL HOSPITAL UNITS.

The Hospital Association got the most from this unless the initiatives are on the ballot.

This thread is about the ballot measures:

https://allnurses.com/nursing-activism-healthcare/nurse-patient-ratios-848419.html

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Specializes in ER.

I am firmly for mandated ratios of nurses. I also think that CNAs are an indispensable part of the healthcare team and need to be factored into the staffing ration equation.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
I am not happy with this. I think the people would have voted for the ballot measures to mandate safe staffing ratios for ALL HOSPITAL UNITS.

The Hospital Association got the most from this unless the initiatives are on the ballot.

This thread is about the ballot measures:

https://allnurses.com/nursing-activism-healthcare/nurse-patient-ratios-848419.html

Yeah I was diss appointed they sold out in some ways....I know the MNA....it is temporary for them...I have every confidence they'll be back. The MNA is pretty powerful with the legislature here.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

I thought this was well done....https://allnurses.com/nursing-news/safe-staffing-survey-928727.html

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

Well Done MNA!!!

It's such a shame that all of our important mandates for clinical quality and patient safety have come from the outside. In a better world, clinicians would be in the driver's seat and decisions would be focused on clinical quality rather than financial gain.

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The MA Senate passed it yesterday, and if the Governor signs it by next Weds (July 2) (and he better had) it's in the books.

I am very confident that the Massachusetts hospital industry knows full well that MNA is not giving up on mandated staffing levels for ALL patients. For one thing, that was the official quote from the MNA spokeswoman in the report of the House vote earlier this week.

This is just the camel's nose under the tent, just the beginning. The hospitals know full well they can't oppose it for ICUs without looking really, really bad; all the agreement did was buy them a little time. I have confidence that the parts for staffing for ALL patients and the transparency about hospital executive compensation will not be too far behind. :anpom:

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Specializes in retired LTC.
I am not happy with this. I think the people would have voted for the ballot measures to mandate safe staffing ratios for ALL HOSPITAL UNITS.[/quote]I'm unhappy too. Why forget the LTC industry??? Great for a START!

They can study the industry and phase in safe numbers. And the other fields can be studied too, like home health, dialysis, etc - any field where there is a nurse/pt ratio.

But boy, can I foresee a fight by the big honchos all about the $$$ - WORLD WAR III. There sure wouldn't be any glut of nurses then!

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Specializes in Critical care, tele, Medical-Surgical.
The"][/quote[/url]]I'm unhappy too. Why forget the LTC industry??? Great for a START!

They can study the industry and phase in safe numbers. And the other fields can be studied too, like home health, dialysis, etc - any field where there is a nurse/pt ratio.

But boy, can I foresee a fight by the big honchos all about the $$$ - WORLD WAR III. There sure wouldn't be any glut of nurses then!

Long term care needs ratios too.
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