http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=s110-73
This bill was introduced by Senator Daniel Inouye, HI
Here is a link to the Senator's website: http://inouye.senate.gov/
The purpose of this bill is to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for patient protection by establishing minimum nurse staffing ratios at certain Medicare providers, and for other purposes.
This bill deals with the shortage of registered nursing staff to care for patients in the United States. The evidence collected from hospitals across the nation shows that there is a correlation between the number of RN's on the unit and the health of the patients, and that patient safety is adversely affected by this shortage. It is critical that patient safety be maintained with safe numbers of nursing staff in this time of nursing shortage.
The bill proposes to ensure that individual hospitals develop a staffing system that provides for a certain minimum ratio of registered nurses to patients for each unit.
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7 comments:
I think this bill is very appropriate for the current nursing shortage crisis. Emphasizing the unsafe impact the problem is having on patients is an effective way to ger the public's attention and make change happen. Does the bill outline specific staffing systems to be implemented, or merely note there should be one in each hospital? If not, does your group think specific guidelines should be set? Overall, the look of the blog is professional and the information is concise. Great job!
This bill is important to providing safe nursing care for every patient. This would solve the issue of nurses becoming burned out and overall would be able to provide for their patients better. This would benefit both the nurse and the patients. The bill is an important topic for the general public and nurses.
I also think this bill is a step in the right direction to ensure patient safety and job satisfaction among nurses. I also was wondering if the bill set a certain guideline about the required number of nurses per patients? Get back to us on that when you can. Thanks!
The current nursing crisis is just that, a crisis, and affects the safety of nursing practice. This bill is that much more important and appropriate with an increasing aging population as the baby boomers grow older. I am so pleased that this bill is being considered and makes me feel more comfortable as a future health care provider.
completely agree, i think one of the main problems that the nursing community faces is being burnt-out. 12 hour shifts can wear down anyone, and especially if it's the same facility for several years with long term patients who require constant care. This bill can help to alleivate some of those problems and make a better healing enviornment for the pateints and nurses.
The nursing shortage is on the rise and it definitely affects patient care. I think that this bill is so important because it assures the safety and care of the patient. When a facility is understaffed, nurses working in those facilities will be overworked, stressed, and will have more patient load. This will affect their care of plan and may not be able to spend as much time per patient to care for them. I think that this bill addresses this nursing shortage and how it also affects patient care.
I understand that it is very difficult to assign a specific ratio number, but I think it is important because otherwise the system will be abused. I know an individual who works on a mental health floor in a hospital. There is no specific ratio in the hospital's policy. However, the head doctor can refuse patients if they deem that there is not enough staff at the present time to care for more patients. This is called putting the floor on divert meaning that mental health prescreeners are forced to find beds for patients in other facilities around the state. The doctor can thus go home at night and put the floor on divert on the premise that there is not enough staff even when there are several beds available. I am afraid that if there are no policies regarding specific ratio numbers that this can be abused elsewhere.
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