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AFSCME Nurse Speaks at Hill Briefing on Staffing RatiosJuly 2008 AFSCME, along with other AFL-CIO nurse unions and noted author Suzanne Gordon, participated in July in a briefing for Congressional staff in support of federal legislation that would mandate nurse-to-patient ratios for hospitals. The “Nurse Staffing Standards for Patient Safety and Quality Care Act of 2007” (H.R. 2123), introduced by Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), would require hospitals to meet minimum safe staffing ratios and to involve nurses in the development of staffing plans. The briefing was sponsored by RNs Working Together, a coalition of 10 AFL-CIO unions representing over 200,000 working registered nurses. Each presenter spoke passionately about the need for federal legislation to address the staffing shortage. Barbara Blake, RN, United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals/AFSCME spoke about the improvement in quality of care and the improved recruitment and retention rates in California since that state’s nurse-to-patient ratio law went into effect in 2004. Suzanne Gordon presented data from various studies that show a significant relationship between nurse staffing and outcomes. Other speakers included nurses from United Nurses of America, the California Nurses Association and the American Federation of Government Employees.
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