Bill Would Set Minimum Nurse-to-Patient Staffing Requirements
DAYTON, OH – April 11, 2023 –Today, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) joined local nurses and advocates to call for swift passage of his Nurse Staffing Standards for Hospital Patient Safety and Quality Care Act, to create a national minimum nurse-to-patient ratio to ensure Ohio patients get the personalized care they need and nurses have support on the job.
“We know that safe staffing levels mean better outcomes for patients. But too often, nurses are stretched too thin, caring for too many patients with not enough support,” said Brown. “Workers are the first line of defense keeping Ohioans safe – we just need to make sure there are enough of those workers on the job.”
The legislation would set minimum nurse-to-patient staffing requirements, study best practices for nurse staffing, and provide whistleblower protections to protect the right of nurses to advocate for the safety of their patients. Very few states have safe staffing laws and without them, patient safety can be put at risk and nurses can be forced to care for too many patients at one time. Studies have shown that safe staffing saves lives, and that lower nurse-to-patient ratios are associated with lower mortality rates.
“The understaffing in hospitals is a true patient care crisis. There isn’t a shortage of nurses, but a shortage of nurses willing to work under current conditions. We are tired of seeing our colleagues leave the bedside, and we know safe patient limits will help stop the exodus. This legislation would allow us to provide the safe, sustainable care our patients deserve. Thank you, Senator Brown,” said Rick Lucas RN at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and member of the Ohio Nurses Association.
“Nurses know what our patients need, and one of the most common things we hear from our members is that their units are not safely staffed, which stretches nurses thin,” said Jean Ross, RN and National Nurses United President. “We’re excited to stand with Senator Brown in support of this legislation, which has the potential to improve patient care across the United States by setting clear limits to how many patients a nurse can be assigned at a time depending on their unit.”
“Nurses are leaving hospitals because the staffing and the working conditions are terrible,” said Eric Cromer, RN. “The truth is that nurses are exhausted. New nurses leave the profession within a couple years and older nurses are retiring early. We need to make the profession something people want to be a part of, where it’s not going to cost you your mental health, physical health, or force you to risk your license. We need safe staffing ratios.”
“The staffing crisis we are experiencing now is the result of years of hospital employers’ neglect and intentional policies of short-staffing and cost-cutting measures with zero regard for patient safety,” said Rhonda Risner, RN. “We have a duty and a right to advocate for our patients, which is why we are fighting for federally mandated nurse-to-patient staffing ratios. Nurses here in Ohio need this bill to be passed.”
The legislation is endorsed by National Nurses United (NNU), the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), AFSCME, SEIU, Alliance for Retired Americans, and AFL-CIO.
