Legislative Update March 2, 2012 (Page 82)

Nurses from every corner of the state came together on Monday and Tuesday to learn more about legislation at the Capitol that will affect nurses and patients, and to talk to their elected officials enacting policies based on nursing values. Nurses focused on:

• The unfair, unsafe and unnecessary “Right to Work” legislation that will weaken unions and hurt nurses and patients.
• Constitutional amendments that will write gridlock and budgeting gimmicks into Minnesota’s Constitution.
• Threats to nursing practice like the National Nurse Licensure Compact and a proposal to create a redundant and punitive criminal background check specifically for nurses.
• Finally, nurses talked about the need for safe staffing legislation.

Kudos to all the nurses who braved the winter storm to come to St. Paul and advocate for your profession and your patients. If you couldn’t attend Day on the Hill and would like to contact your legislator, you can use the MNA Grassroots Action Center to send them a message.

Safe Staffing Bill Introduced

Armed with new – and disturbing – evidence gathered from the front lines of hospitals across the state, Minnesota nurses introduced legislation on Tuesday aimed at addressing patient safety through adequate staffing levels.

MNA Nurses filled out 988 Concern for Safe Staffing (CFSS) forms during the final six months of 2011. Copies of each CFSS form were submitted to both hospital management and MNA representatives. Of those documented incidents, 54 percent put patient safety at “High” or “Extreme” risk, according to the professional judgment of MNA RNs.

“After years of broken promises from hospitals to work directly with nurses to address patient safety issues that resulted from inadequate staffing, we’ve been left with no choice but to take our concerns to the state legislature. And we’re pleased this proposed legislation has the bipartisan support of Rep. Larry Howes in the House and Sen. Jeff Hayden in the Senate” said MNA President Linda Hamilton.

The 2012 Staffing for Patient Safety Act includes setting a maximum patient assignment for Registered Nurses based on factors including nursing intensity and patient acuity, and would require hospital administrators to work directly with nurses to ensure that adequate resources are provided to keep patients safe. It would also increase transparency surrounding the staffing process.

Click here to read the full press release about the legislation.

Research Shows Connection Between Staffing and Patient Safety

There are dozens of national studies and statistics proving the direct connection between adequate RN staffing levels and patient safety. In hospitals with inadequate staffing conditions:

• You could be      up to 25 percent more likely to die.
• You could be      50 percent more likely to die when facing      certain types of cancer surgery.
• You could be      68 percent more likely to acquire      a preventable infection.
• You could be      53 percent more likely to suffer      from respiratory failure.

(Please visit www.mnnurses.org/StaffingStudies for a comprehensive list of all relevant studies and findings related to RN staffing levels and patient safety.)

By the Numbers – Staffing inside Minnesota Hospitals
The following data was taken from the 988 Concern For Safe Staffing forms filled out by MNA RNs during the final six months of 2011: