Mass. voters see robust 'Nurse Staffing Act' on horizon, finally!

Nurses Activism

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Massachusetts will likely vote on the issue this November. Unsurprisingly, the Boston Globe featured a rather poorly written, one-sided, article on the matter - leaving out the meat & potatoes. "Studies from several researchers, including Judith Shindul-Rothschild, a professor at Boston College's nursing school, have shown links between a higher level of nurse staffing and improved pain management, wait times, patient satisfaction, and other measures." Other measures....what a convenient way to gloss over fewer medication errors, decreased mortality and morbidity, and better outcomes for pediatric patients, to name a few.

What's more, the writer went all the way to Montana to find a nursing professor, Dr. Peter Buerhaus, willing to defame his research peers in pursuit of a political agenda. "These are associations - this isn't cause and effect". Funny you say that Dr. Buerhaus, since just about every study shows the opposite, including your own research that found, "staffing of RNs below target levels was associated with increased mortality, which reinforces the need to match staffing with patients' needs for nursing care". This act will ensure that each hospital has the staff on hand to provide such care.

What else should we expect from a company owned by a local billionaire and Red Sox co-owner, John Henry. Massachusetts might be blue, but make no mistake, the wealthy run the show and will protect what they see as theirs - until we vote.

Nurses in Massachusetts, let's get out their and share our stories with those we know. Women and their newborns especially deserve the staffing that this proposition would provide. This fall, women are likely to turn out in droves for a variety of reasons. Let's ensure that adequate nursing care during labor, delivery, and postpartum is a part of their vision.

DB

https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2018/03/20/nurses-union-hospitals-battle-over-ballot-question-setting-patient-limits/Wgz4AxjKD3LJWr8THAGPnI/story.html#comments

Massachusetts Nurse-Patient Assignment Limits Initiative (2

Specializes in Critical care, tele, Medical-Surgical.

I hope the nurses of Massachusetts work to keep this on the ballot. And educate the public.

It will save lives.

The opposition, Steward Health Care, the largest for-profit private hospital operator in the United States, is already trying to get it off the ballot:

A ballot initiative that could have a drastic effect on how hospitals assign patients to nurses has come under fire, and next month the state's highest court will consider whether voters should have a chance to consider the controversial proposal.

Four voters have asked the Supreme Judicial Court to decertify the Patient Safety Act, arguing that Attorney General Maura Healey improperly certified it for the November ballot.

The voters, who have received the backing of Steward Health Care System LLC, say it violates the Massachusetts Constitution...

SJC to consider ballot question affecting nursing assignments | Boston Herald

Specializes in Critical care, tele, Medical-Surgical.

The Patient Safety Act: What the Bill Does

It protects patients safety

The Patient Safety Act:Â What a Bill Does

"How to get involved" for Massachusetts voters:

The Coalition to Protect Massachusetts Patients

Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.

The media have never been nurse-friendly. One episode that stands out for me was when nurses in my home province went on strike in the 1999. The media behaved like absolute dirt bags and the nurses ended up taking it in the shorts. The province had a socialist government at the time, so no point kidding ourselves on that score.

I do hope the bill in Massachusetts passes, and I hope there is a provision for nurses to have some outside agency to report to in the event of substandard staffing. In other words, I hope the bill has teeth.

Specializes in Chief Nursing Officer.

What an important vote this will be!! Praying it passes in Massachusetts and spreads across the US!

Specializes in Critical care.

The MA chapter of ANA is opposing it! So is the Organizations of Nurse Leaders.

"Amanda Stefancyk Oberlies, CEO of the Organization of Nurse Leaders, stated, "Make no mistake: this proposal threatens the high quality of care we provide patients. It will force many hospitals to reduce critical services and will dramatically increase emergency room wait times. This measure will prevent nurses and doctors from being able to use their best judgment in times of crisis."[6]"

It will INCREASE the quality of care. Five patients as a tele nurse was too much most of the time, especially with the high acuity many of them were. Heck, even 2 patients as an ICU nurse is too much if one is really critical.

Remind me NOT to go to that hospital if she's the one running it. Was that comment published? I wonder sometimes how people get in those positions. It makes zero sense. Praying it comes to fruition. We desperately need the same in the south. Thanks for posting.

Specializes in Critical care, tele, Medical-Surgical.
The MA chapter of ANA is opposing it! So is the Organizations of Nurse Leaders.

"Amanda Stefancyk Oberlies, CEO of the Organization of Nurse Leaders, stated, "Make no mistake: this proposal threatens the high quality of care we provide patients. It will force many hospitals to reduce critical services and will dramatically increase emergency room wait times. This measure will prevent nurses and doctors from being able to use their best judgment in times of crisis."[6]"

It will INCREASE the quality of care. Five patients as a tele nurse was too much most of the time, especially with the high acuity many of them were. Heck, even 2 patients as an ICU nurse is too much if one is really critical.

That quote is included here:

Massachusetts Nurse-Patient Assignment Limits Initiative (2

Specializes in Critical care, tele, Medical-Surgical.

This "leader" is just plain wrong. There have been MANY scientific studies demonstrating that safe staffing ratios save lives.

It is dishonest and harmful to patients who die due ti failure-to-rescue. The profession of nursing is considered the most honest of occupations.

Any nurse who denies the importance of sufficient nurse staffing is hinderingv the profession of nursing.

"Massachusetts has some of the best hospitals in the country. Make no mistake: this proposal threatens the high quality of care we provide patients," said Amanda Stefancyk Oberlies, CEO of the Organization of Nurse Leaders. "It will force many hospitals to reduce critical services and will dramatically increase emergency room wait times.

This measure will prevent nurses and doctors from being able to use their best judgment in times of crisis. Further, there are no scientific studies or reports that demonstrate the effectiveness of this one-size-fits-all staffing requirement improving quality of care."...

Coalition to Protect Patient Safety Launches 2

Yes, the ANA opposes this ballot initiative. Why? IMO, they're a fickle organization when they don't get the attention. They've been parading their own version of a staffing act around since the ice age with no success. Unions wage their battles on the front lines and take action while the ANA sits in their cushy Silver Spring, MD office debating which salutation to use for the next position statement.

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